The roles and responsibilities of a CEO vary from one company to another, often depending on the organizational structure and/or size of the company. We understand it holds great responsibility and expectations from both the clients and the team you’re leading, but its meaning varies with each CEO.
So, what does it mean to be a CEO? Hear from entrepreneurs!
Being a Decision Maker
Jake Smith, Absolute Reg, says, “The highest-ranking individual in a firm or organization is the Chief Executive Officer. The CEO oversees a company’s or organization’s overall success as well as making top-level management choices. They may seek advice on major matters, but they have the last say when it comes to making decisions. The CEO is frequently a member of the board of directors, and in some cases, the chairwoman.”
Having Team Building and Empowerment
Edward Mallet of Wiki Job believes that within an organization, the CEO has two major responsibilities: Team building and empowerment. To assemble a team, the CEO must constantly consider the positions that need to be filled and search out individuals with the necessary abilities, experience, and cultural fit. Because employing someone on your team is a major commitment, the CEO must take this obligation extremely seriously. After you’ve put together a team, it’s time to delegate authority and get out of the way. As CEO, it’s also critical to ensure that each member of the team can learn and grow.
Showing Leadership
“As a CEO, I believe that being an effective leader is what the CEO does. It’s someone who knows how to strike a good work-life balance. When times are rough, a great CEO isn’t overly emotional, but when they are, he or she exemplifies compassion and understanding. They strike a balance between a relaxed atmosphere and high standards and demands. A CEO inspires others by managing work effectively, being fair, and leading by example.”
-Sam Browne, Find a Band
Challenging Yourself
“Being a CEO means to keep Challenging myself for the better. Being a CEO, in my opinion, is not only about making deals and earning wealth/repute, but also more about growing within yourself. That is efficiently done when a CEO constantly challenges him/herself by setting up new tasks and aims, both for in-office and outside repute of the business. That’s where a CEO learns how to compose oneself, the entire team, customer, and still achieve great results for the business.”
-Will Cannon, Signaturely
Being a Role Model
Francisco Remolino, Remolino Associates, believes that a CEO is a role model. People work hard for you if you walk your talk. Letting your employees feel that you know what it feels like to walk in their shoes inspires them to contribute more and be loyal, which makes teamwork and collaboration easier. Consequently, being a compassionate leader is difficult because you can’t avoid making decisions that will break the hearts of people who believe in you. Therefore, being a CEO whose integrity is always intact is of utmost importance.
Being a Visionary
Lauren LeMunyan, Spitfire Coach, says, “A CEO is someone who sees the big picture and beyond, who rallies and recruits in the talent to actualize the vision, who sets the tone of the culture, vision, and mission. Is also the face of the brand and becomes the voice of the why and direction. He/ she is the point person to make critical decisions in times of crisis, growth, and change. A CEO is a person who people look to find reason and relevance for the work they do.”
Having People Skills
“Great CEOs are good with people. They are amazing at inspiring and motivating people. Also, understand their needs and support them. And have a feeling of self-awareness and a high emotional IQ which helps them in motivating people a lot. They are good at understanding outward behavior as an expression of inner needs. CEOs who have people skills are known to be charismatic, able to inspire and move people to action by just letting them know their feelings are valid.”
-Hilda Wong, Content Dog
Holding Resilience
“Being a CEO means cultivating a team to be the best through resilience. Having this position means going through multiple sacrifices, trial, and error, and unexpected complications to be the best leader for others. Cultivating a team to have the same capabilities of pushing through hard times is considered a success. Having resilience through tough times will take time but being able to see them as an opportunity for growth rather than a problem, is a step in the right direction.”
–Jacob Dayan, Community Tax
Focusing on Diversity
“A good CEO adapts to the strengths of their staff, not the other way around. A great CEO does both. Executing a focus on diversity and inclusion brings together ideas and viewpoints from various points of human representation. Through this process, understand the obstacles and conquer them as a team. This means knowing when to lead and knowing when to listen. This approach provides opportunities to lead by example.”
–Adam Povlitz, Anago Cleaning Systems
Having Commitment & Dependability
“You’ll hear a lot of advice on work-life balance, but for me, commitment contributes a more significant role in one’s success as a CEO. Unshakable devotion will push you to work your fingers to the bone. Another essential trait for every CEO is dependability. Supervisors with the mental fortitude to stay on top of things will exude a more commanding and authoritative presence. Your employees need a leader, not another buddy. CEOs should have confidence. You cannot expect others to follow a leader that does not believe in themselves.”
–Devin Schumacher, SERP