Why Some CEOs are Unlike What CEOs Should Truly Be

Some of those who become CEOs may not deserve to be one. Such people are generally those who are fake at the core, take stand as per convenience, promote coterie culture and are not inspiring at all. These threads have been elaborated below.

Fake at the Core

Such CEOs are good actors who display superficial genuineness and passion. At the core, however, they are laid back with no real interest in the affairs of the organization.

Many of these people are those who are having a second career (after they get retired or are asked to leave). Such people will have no personal liability (home mortgage paid off and children educated and married off) and the job came their way as a result of loyalty rather than merit.

Take Stand as per Convenience

Such CEOs take decisions based on prejudiced whims and fancies. They are highly checklist oriented and just interested in activities happening with no consideration to the purpose and value.

For such CEOs convenience is a key method that is used to carry on with the organizational affairs with a false sense of purpose and urgency. Shortcuts and occasional slip-ups of ethics are fine as long as things get managed eventually.

Promote Coterie Culture

Such CEOs assemble a set of loyalists around them who are basically "yes sir" men and promote a culture where the CEO's statement is viewed as a diktat and hence never challenged.The people reporting into the CEO may differ but lack the professional courage to technically challenge the CEO.

Such CEOs when they hire a senior professional do not allow her to become a part of the "CEO's club" and in case she challenges the CEO on certain decisions the CEO brings his flock of loyalists more closer and belittle the senior professional. In such situations senior professionals would not stay beyond a certain period. The coterie culture feeds on itself where hiring a a senior professional becomes next to impossible.

Not Inspiring at All

Such CEOs fail to proved inspiration to the employees in general. They might be reasonably good in public speaking but those who interact with the CEO get to see the other, usually dirty, side of the CEO as demonstrated in private discussions, emails, etc.

Such CEOs would have a hands-off approach to management and would usually talk in air, talk about building castles, start initiatives in multiple directions without worrying about the organizational priorities, etc.