What does a chief executive officer do?

A slightly creative analogy to give perspective on the role of the CEO in terms of leadership might be - to consider a CEO as a conductor of an orchestra. You do not play a single instrument at this time (even though in principle you might be able to play a couple). Your role is to bring everyone together, to create a vision and serve the underlying purpose of your business.

The most important part in strategy formulation is to ensure “employee engagement”. The success of the strategy execution is dependent on the “buy in” of the whole organization. The CEO should ensure and work on the alignment of people’s goals with the organization strategy, as it is one of the key drivers for success.

When our first company BigMachines was almost failing after the .com bust, I learned just how crucial it is to lead from the front as CEO to win and take care of our customers. I prioritized winning our next deal and satisfying our existing customers above all else. We could no longer raise capital and so had to earn enough revenue from our customers before we went out of business. We got on airplanes and out in the field with our team to visit our customers everywhere. And we evangelized the power of cloud CPQ well before most companies were comfortable investing in the cloud. Marc Benioff cofounder and CEO of Salesforce inspired us to go fruther codify our vision in a V2MOM and go out and evangelize it to the world!

The key role of a leader is to serve as the “Source” for the culture, exemplifying the core values and to provide the clarity and context required to fully engage all team members to deliver upon a well defined vision.

One of the things I underestimated earlier in my career was the importance of a strong culture and the CEO's role as the keeper of it...and what happens when those things aren't in place. I think Noel Goggin at Conga has done a phenomenal job at this, and it's the the first thing he did when he walked in the door. Take care of the Culture, take care of the Customers...and everything else lines up after that.

A CEO sets the tone for company culture by living the vision and values they want to see. But at the end it’s the team that truly drives success. By fostering a culture of trust and collaboration, the CEO empowers every individual to take ownership and contribute their best. Only together, one turns strategy into reality and build a company that thrives.

The CEO's role in driving performance and growth involves setting strategic direction, executing growth initiatives, fostering innovation, optimizing operations, and empowering talent. By monitoring performance metrics, managing risk, adapting to market dynamics, and communicating vision and progress, they build high-performance teams that propel the company towards its objectives.

As the CEO of Excelmindcyber, a Cybersecurity Training Program Academy, my role involves strategic leadership, overseeing curriculum development, and fostering a culture of innovation. It's crucial to align the organization with industry trends, ensuring our students are equipped with cutting-edge skills. Moreover, we focus on mentorship, preparing individuals not just for jobs but for successful, fulfilling careers. It's about more than technical expertise; it's about cultivating problem-solving, adaptability, and ethical decision-making.

as CEO you should always act on, attack and identify areas of weakness. If you are new, or even already in the role, you need to learn everything about your business, what creates profitability, understanding the levers that do this, as well as the leverage points and then develop simple reporting metrics to maintain a focus on improvement. This goes hand in hand with recognizing hidden threats. Short term, medium- and long-term goals all anchored off the metrics will always keep you on track - especially if your team also understand the importance of this.

What I have found helpful is that a CEO's focus should be on sustainable and ethical growth strategies. This means prioritising long-term value creation over short-term gains, integrating ethical considerations into business decisions, and being transparent about business practices. A CEO should champion initiatives that not only drive financial performance but also contribute positively to society and the environment. This approach not only strengthens the company's reputation and stakeholder trust but also ensures its viability and relevance in a rapidly evolving business landscape.

Permitir que tu equipo se desarrolle... Dura realidad que viven muchos profesionales, que no cuentan con un programa corporativo de desarrollo personal, ¿pero es posible?... sí siempre! Es un reto a plantearse y gestionarlo, independientemente del apoyo con el que cuentes en tu entorno y debe incluir desde un inicio la construcción de tu reputación profesional y llevarla al mundo digital (para que no dependa de tu empresa) ¿Y cómo? Las redes sociales presentan una gran vitrina para crear un ecosistema (especialmente LinkedIn) en las que puedes aportar tu visión sobre temas de actualidad, innovación, etc. Además esfuérzate para crear un red relevante profesional. Construir tu marca personal te dará frutos, la clave es la constancia.

The CEO is instrumental in managing stakeholder relations by balancing interests, building trust, and driving engagement across diverse groups such as investors, customers, employees, and suppliers. They prioritize transparent communication, ethical conduct, and long-term value creation to foster partnerships and support the company's success and sustainability.

A Chief Executive Officer (CEO) plays a critical role in managing stakeholder relations within an organization. They are responsible for building and maintaining strong connections with a diverse range of stakeholders, including shareholders, board members, employees, customers, suppliers, and the broader community. CEOs communicate the company's vision, strategies, and performance to shareholders and investors, ensuring transparency and trust. They also engage with employees to foster a positive workplace culture and align the workforce with the company's mission. CEOs manage customer relationships by addressing concerns and ensuring satisfaction, while also collaborating with suppliers and partners to achieve mutual success.

I have found as CEO that one of the major roles as well as one of the major time wasters is managing the conflicting and often conflicted voices of the board members. A good board speaks with one voice. A dysfunctional board is fragmented, dominated by egos and self-interest and occasionally a lack of ethics. The board’s role is to work with and through the CEO, but oftentimes the CEO’s job is to sort the wheat from the chaff.

From my experience, a CEO must excel in balancing diverse and often competing interests. This involves understanding various stakeholder groups' unique needs and concerns and finding common ground to create mutually beneficial outcomes. A CEO should act as a bridge between the company and its stakeholders, effectively communicating the company’s values, goals, and decisions while also being receptive to stakeholder feedback and incorporating it into business strategies.

El director ejecutivo es responsable de gestionar y mantener relaciones sólidas con los grupos de interés clave de la empresa, como accionistas, clientes, empleados, proveedores y la comunidad en general. Esto implica comunicarse de manera efectiva con estos grupos, entender sus necesidades y preocupaciones, y tomar decisiones que equilibren los intereses de todas las partes involucradas. Además, el director ejecutivo actúa como el principal representante de la empresa ante el público y los medios de comunicación, y trabaja para construir y mantener una reputación positiva para la empresa

In my view, CEO shall also taking up the coaching role in developing the succession plan, support the professional and personal development of the other senior executives, to ensure the continuity of the alignment of the organization’s vision and strategy.

¿Cómo debemos enfocar la comunicación con equipos de alto rendimiento? Recordemos que el tiempo es oro y el trabajo es continuo y retador para estos equipos.... documentos largos, sesiones eternas e improvisación son cronófagos que fomentan la incompetencia. En toda comunicación: Ser CLAROS Ser CONCRETOS Ser CONCISOS Información COMPLETA y RELEVANTE. En esta semana han cesado a un ministro en Ecuador por no compartir información relevante y necesaria de su sector para tomar de decisiones...

A Chief Executive Officer (CEO) recognizes the importance of personal development as it relates to leadership and success. They continually enhance their skills and knowledge, staying updated on industry trends and management practices. CEOs seek mentorship and coaching, enabling them to refine their leadership abilities and decision-making skills. Personal development empowers CEOs to adapt to changing environments, lead by example, and inspire their teams effectively. This commitment to self-improvement ensures CEOs are well-equipped to steer their organizations toward success and navigate the complexities of the business world with confidence and competence.

Life is everchanging, and that goes for markets and companies also. It is vital that the CEO ensures that they are on top of their game and pro-active about changes in the market, the business etc. It is also important to ensure that they can make relevant decisions timeously to move the company in the right direction pro-actively.

As a Principal, there are lots of important stuff and also the small fiddly ones to tackle daily, and more matters keep propping up as the days goes on. The one technique I learnt for productivity and time management is to have a to-do list, preferabbly writen on a simple lined note-pad (I emphasize "written" as when it is visible, it is easier for you to remember your list to do for the day), then tackle your most challenging or important task first, right in the morning. You will find yourself making progress on your priorities, your schedule gets done effectively, and more gets done. Get the most difficult tasks done first! When that's out of the way the rest of your day is less stressed. Try it!

In addition to ensuring ethical and legal compliance, fostering innovation and learning, and managing crises effectively, a chief executive officer must prioritize sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. By integrating sustainability principles into business practices, CEOs demonstrate a commitment to environmental stewardship, social equity, and economic prosperity. This involves implementing sustainable strategies across the value chain, reducing carbon footprint, promoting diversity and inclusion, and supporting community development initiatives. Engaging stakeholders in sustainability efforts enhances brand reputation, attracts socially conscious investors, and drives long-term business success.

CEOs are also often responsible for fundraising for a startup. What I often see is CEOs being very charismatic and loved by investors but actually terrible at delivery. Terrible at influencing and inspiring their teams to deliver on what they've promised. It takes time but often this leads to the CEOs downfall...

Based on 20 years as a CEO, director and share holder it is clear that everything written above is correct. Still, we need to talk about the amount of dealing with the various issues and how much time is available for managing the subordinate level compared to dealing with internal organizational politics, maintaining relations with the shareholders and the board. As unfortunate as it may sound, and despite the frustration involved, the position of CEO requires a special and high skill in balancing the purely professional considerations and the maintenance of the factors mentioned above. One must make sure that there are always additional, experienced and senior parties that can be consulted with attention to these sensitivities.

Easy - Money-don’t let the company run out of it Vision - make it clear where the company will be in 3-5 years; tell it to everyone, everyday People - bring in the very best leadership team. Build the people and let them build the business Money, Vision, People MVP ——> CEO EASY

A Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is the highest-ranking executive in a company responsible for making strategic decisions and leading the organization. They set the overall vision, mission, and goals, and devise strategies to achieve them. CEOs oversee various departments, manage senior executives, and ensure effective coordination among all teams. They represent the company to external stakeholders, such as investors and the public, and make crucial decisions on investments, partnerships, and acquisitions. CEOs also monitor financial performance, assess risks, and adjust business strategies accordingly. Ultimately, they bear ultimate responsibility for the company's success and are accountable to the board of directors and shareholders.