1. Focus
2. Patience
3. Networking
4. Competition
5. Self Awareness

The intentional CEO learns to protect their back by wearing a new kind of kevlar. In this case the protective suit is made out of material that deflects all attacks.  The power of this material exists with the wearer, the less they have to protect, the stronger it is.  For example, set your business up to run without you, your finances to be managed by professionals in a number of diversified accounts and your drivers fully trained.  Then when you get stabbed in the back it might sting a little but you are likely to lose nothing.  Segment all the important parts of your life and spread out the responsibility.  Any one betrayal will have a minimal impact on your overall organization.

Speak softly and carry a big stick.  Don’t be wishy washy, be kind when you can, be hard when you have to, and smile often.  Cultivate your style so people will love you even when they hate you.  Learn to push hard at the right time, listen powerfully and share the wealth wisely.

Finally, surround yourself with bodyguards.  Literally if need be, otherwise be the kind of CEO who has loyal followers.

Sometime sbetrayal is just inevitable, so when or if it does happen, just remember its on them, not you.  Get up, brush off, and keep going.

Then something funny happened. A sneaky form of empathetic democracy (yes the dreaded democracy in business democracy) crept into my organization. It was the kind of democracy that had decision making take into account all the members of the teams points of views and feelings on many matters. This, of course, increased the authorship roles of everyone in the organization which is a very good thing. On the other hand, the team being made up of very nice people, slowly but surely, the decision making process began to cater to making everyone feel good about the decision. Thus decision making began to be ruled by the “inflict as little pain as possible” rule. Unfortunately this winds up being leadership by the squeakiest wheel. The squeakiest wheels do not make good leaders.

I made many mistakes subscribing to this format for years. I have sinced learned a valuable lesson based on this concept:

Leaders must have a high threshold for other people’s pain.

Not every decision should or needs to be pain free. In fact, leaders exist because there is no such thing as pain free decision making. The nature of leadership is to take people where they haven’t been. Going to where you haven’t been is uncomfortable and painful to some degree by nature.

Powerful leaders must make decisions based on their decision making process what ever it may be. With high tolerance to the pain of those she leads. At the end of the day this is the ability followers want in their leader. A strength and ability to take the bull by the horns. This inspires confidence in the followers who will then deal with their own pain and do what it takes to keep up with the leader.

Your thoughts?

Tom

I know this for certain, I, like all CEOs are ordinary people who became extraordinary leaders.

Many have taken leadership training programs only to find it was great information but has not lead them to the top.   They have worked hard, harder than most and still not getting where they want to be.  Many CEOs I have encountered have complained that, though their people are the best around and they wouldn’t want anyone else on their team, none of their people could fill the top spot.  That is why so many companies look outside their organizations for Chief Executives.  Again, I ask why?

I have examined this question for years.  Over the coming weeks and months I will share my theories and findings.  My wish is to have this blog be an open exchange of the discussion “What does it take to be a CEO”?

Please join me.  I look forward to your comments and feedback.

Thomas Balletta, CEO