Four Tasks of the CEO (Senior Leader)
In an earlier post I wrote about the loneliness of leadership. One reason leadership can make a person feel isolated is the weight of responsibility on the one who claims to be the senior leader in an organization. Whether in the business world, in non-profits or churches, there are some things in any organization that must involve the top leadership.
Here are four things the “CEO” (Chief Executive Officer) must personally lead or play a major role in accomplishing:
Vision – The CEO is the ordained caretaker of the organization’s vision. The vision may be pre-determined for the CEO, but all leaders place his or her spin on implementing the vision. At the end of the day the CEO is held responsible for seeing that the organization’s vision is attained.
Values – The CEO must carry out, protect, or shape the culture of the organization. Much of the character of the organization will be determined or maintained by the CEO.
Victories- CEO’s determine what matters to an organization. He or she ultimately defines a win by setting end goals. An organization cannot do everything and the CEO’s leadership determines priorities, initiatives and major objectives to be accomplished.
Velocity –The CEO sets the speed by which the organization will operate. The lead person is in the role of balancing present tasks and future opportunities. His or her individual pace and expectations of others determines how fast the organization functions, changes, adapts, and responds.
Most organizations will have a board of directors, stakeholders or elders to oversee the organization, hire the CEO and hold title to the organization, but it is ultimately the CEO that daily carries out these four functions. A CEO can delegate, form a great team environment, seek wise counsel, and even shirk his or her responsibility, but to fulfill the role of the senior leader effectively there are some responsibilities that rest solely with the CEO. Whether or not the CEO consciously recognizes his or her role in accomplishing these tasks, by sheer position he or she is determining the way the organization performs in these four areas.
Are you a senior leader in your organization? Do you feel the weight of these responsibilities? Do you understand your important role in setting these four principles of the organization? What other responsibilities rest with the CEO?
One response to "Four Tasks of the CEO (Senior Leader)"
Good post. I especially like that you included “velocity.” That’s one of a leader’s key jobs, maintaining momentum, but it’s rarely listed.
.-= Wally Bock´s last blog ..What if we chose leaders differently? =-.