Neither heroes nor villians, just people.
In response to a question posed to me by the Washington Post’s On Leadership Web series, “Where have all the CEO heroes gone?” I responded first with, “The answer lies in part in the question.” For too long now we have glorified CEOs as evidenced by the increasing wealth, power, visibility, and celebrity that we have accorded to the select group of individuals holding the title. Do CEOs have a tremendous amount of responsibility? Absolutely! Do they shoulder an inordinate burden for the lives and livelihood of their employees? Of course! Can they influence the financial, political, and emotional tenor of a nation with their decisions and actions? Clearly! Yet they are still human beings, as imperfect and subject to mistakes and wrongdoing as any of us. Our expectations of CEOs are clearly out of whack. We expect them to live up to impossible standards and are then disappointed, and at times downright angry, when they do not.
Granted, the outrageous acts of indiscretion and impropriety that we witnessed throughout much of this decade are inexcusable. But just as it is inappropriate to say that those CEOs were merely heroes who fell from grace, it is equally inappropriate to suggest that the men and women who are admirably leading corporations are heroes. They are not. Rather, they are human beings who have a very big job, and who, in order to do that job well, need and deserve the support of their leadership team, their board, their family, and a host of other stakeholders. They do not need to be put on a pedestal.
What never ceases to surprise me is that despite the many public examples of failed leadership, executives continue to make the same mistakes. Of all of the tragic displays of malfeasance and poor judgment by senior executives over the course of the decade, not a single incident was new or unique. Moreover, the consequence for such behavior 25 or 50 years ago was shame and disgrace just as it is today. The difference now is that with the 24 hour news cycle and a public’s insatiable appetite for news, actions that were once known to only a small group are now public for the world to see. As a result, boards need to be very clear, open-minded, and realistic about the type of skill set that will allow CEOs to succeed in doing the right things in leading their firms to profitability and doing so with integrity. Yet they must also be careful not to imply that the job is so challenging that only a hero can do it well.
Not everyone is cut-out for the chief executive spot, but there are many who are. These are the men and women who are willing to put their ego aside in order to lead firms out of a vicious cycle of bad decisions, short-sightedness, and financial despair, and toward a vision of the future where innovation and creativity is the norm. They are willing and able to learn from mistakes, their own and others, and build on past experiences. They encourage growth and development in themselves and their employees, and listen to others as a cornerstone to building trust with key stakeholders. They have a history of demonstrating integrity and values-based leadership, and are receptive to a diversity of thought and perspective.