CEOs today must be able to communicate effectively, make quick decisions, and engage with a variety of stakeholders. They are under intense public scrutiny. To thrive, CEOs must empower others in their organization and cultivate a culture of leadership throughout the company. This allows the organization to respond quickly to opportunities and threats. Effective CEOs also demonstrate authenticity and build trust with empathy, which enables them to lead diverse teams and adapt to changing business needs.

1. Evolution
of the CEO
To survive in today’s business climate, CEOs must be able to articulate their decisions and be prepared to
nurture others so they too feel comfortable in sharing the burden of leadership. Criticaleye reports
T he scrutiny placed on modern business
leaders is greater than ever before.
The sheer speed at which decisions must
to. I walk in a room and everybody watches
whether I smile, where I sit, to whom I talk. I
had been a senior person at Atos for the last
the flow of information more immediate and
unstructured,” says Mark Powles, CEO of
Business Stream, a subsidiary of Scottish Water.
be made and strategies enacted across an five years but the attention that is paid to the “This puts a greater personal responsibility
organisation, coupled with employees, CEO and what I project is incredible, and it’s on the CEO to understand and respond to
customers and shareholders expecting ever meant that I’ve had to learn to balance my threats and opportunities when engaging with
more communication, means today’s CEOs natural informality that appeals to staff with customers, stakeholders and staff.”
must hone the skills needed to thrive in such a the public persona that’s required of a CEO.”
fast-paced business environment. Naturally, all stakeholders will want to see the
Regardless of ‘persona’, keeping your head and leader’s vision for the business and will hold
Chris Merry, CEO of professional services firm remaining clear and firm as to your intentions him/her accountable for the decisions taken. In
RSM Tenon, says: “People expect a lot compared is crucial. Andy Blundell, Chief Executive of many cases they will also want to feel part of that
to what they did ten years ago, in terms of what outsourced customer marketing supplier vision. Therefore, while CEOs must still lead and
they get from the top of the business; what they Communisis, says: “It is important to be able make it clear where the buck stops it is also vital
are told, how they are told it and how frequently to clearly articulate the company’s identity and that they are seen to be inclusive and transparent
they are communicated with. It’s up to modern growth strategy to any audience, very quickly… in their leadership style and that, where
CEOs to rise to the challenge.” the CEO must set the tone in terms of work appropriate, they invite others to participate in
ethic and spreading the fundamental belief how the business is shaped and grown.
If there’s one skill that has gained prominence that the company will succeed.”
it is the ability to communicate with aplomb, David Turner, CEO of outsourced contact
and to do so particularly in the harsh glare of The need to connect via different media centre company HEROtsc, comments: “Even
the spotlight: both internal and external. with teams that are dispersed across if people don’t necessarily agree with the
different countries presents additional decisions you’ve made, as long as it’s done
Ursula Morgenstern, a first-time CEO at IT challenges in terms of communication solidly and they can see the argument has
provider Atos UK, comments: “The sheer and engagement. “The emergence of been created, by and large you’ll get more
public attention takes some getting used multichannel communications has made people following you than not. For instance, I
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2. do a monthly blog about the business because Empathy is increasingly a prerequisite for
it’s clear to me that people want to see what successful leadership. Effective CEOs must
your opinions are, whether you have one, what have an innate understanding of what makes
you are trying to do with the business and those around them tick, giving them the
where it’s going.” perspective needed to lead and influence
teams and individuals and therefore judge
CREATE A CULTURE OF LEADERS situations with speed and accuracy.
Put simply, today’s CEOs cannot do everything Kai Peters, CEO of Ashridge Business School,
themselves. More than ever, however, the says: “When working with business leaders
organisations they lead must have a culture we try to consider the strategic landscape
that allows for the speed and agility required and all of the normal business skills, but also
to remain competitive. To be truly agile, CEOs the drivers and psychology of the individual,
must empower others. through 360-degree coaching and so on,
and also the behaviour of others. In effect,
“There’s a huge need for leaders to be able to two thirds of the work we do on leadership
create leaders throughout the organisation,” development is about psychology.”
says Kevin Murray, Chairman of PR consultants
Good Relations Group. “Those leaders have to
be highly empowered to create that agility you
need in companies. If something appears on The sheer public attention takes
a Twitter feed, within seconds you can have a
global disaster on your hands. But, likewise, if
you don’t respond to a customer’s complaint
some getting used to
on a service delivery query appropriately and
quickly, it could blow up to become a major
issue for you overnight. That’s why leaders are BUILD STRENGTH IN DEPTH Featuring Commentary From:
now asking: how do I build an organisation that
can respond at speed but also in the right way?” Trust and empathy are all well and good, but Andy Blundell
the talent needs to be there and it needs to be Chief Executive
Leaders must be confident enough to give ready for responsibility. Aspiring talent must Communisis
others the power to take appropriate risks be nurtured to handle the pressure of the top
and encourage them to take responsibility. role so that, when their turn comes, they are Chris Merry
This boils down to trust. And trust comes from already comfortable with the spotlight and CEO
authenticity. know what to do when it hits them. RSM Tenon
Jo Sellwood-Taylor, Founding Director Andy comments: “In a Plc environment it is Ursula Morgenstern
at executive recruitment firm Mullwood traditionally only the CEO and FD who are CEO
Partnership, has conducted interviews with routinely exposed to banks, advisors and Atos UK
more than 100 leaders from a wide range of investors. We’ve recently taken steps to change
sectors and countries. “Our research found this by exposing other senior managers to,
Kevin Murray
that what makes the difference between a good for example, an ‘investor day’. This is good for
Chairman
CEO and a stellar one is people leadership,” their personal development and investors like it
Good Relations Group
she says. “The world is more complex and to because they see strength in depth – it sends a
capitalise on it you need to create a culture of confident message about the organisation.”
innovation among your managers and your Kai Peters
workforce. Ultimately, certain skills required to lead an CEO
organisation in the 21st century are evergreen. Ashridge Business School
“Because the CEO role is very externally But, while a CEO’s role will always be about
focused, the most important behavioural setting a framework for direction and the Mark Powles
aspect is authenticity, being genuine and being goals to achieve it, those most effective in the CEO
very self-aware so that not only how you come role will be the ones that provide a context that Business Stream
across is suitable but that you also know what allows for collaboration.
people you need around you to be effective.”
Jo Sellwood-Taylor
“We’re living in a radically transparent world
Founding Director
Chris adds: “People skills are the essence of where leadership is being challenged from every
Mullwood Partnership
what a CEO does. Interacting with people, direction,” says Kevin. “A CEO’s tenure has been
trying to influence people and remove shortening all the time and even the smallest
barriers. Looking forward over a longer time mistake results in resignations and people David Turner
horizon than the day-to-day so you can see baying for heads to roll. It’s a harder job than CEO
what the strategic path is, making sure you’ve ever and leaders must be much more inclusive in HEROtsc
got the right people around you to get that their leadership style if they are to succeed.”
in place and managing and inspiring those Contact the contributors through www.criticaleye.net
people to deliver the strategy.” © Criticaleye 2013
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