STOP.
Chasing the dream. The vision.
Let's take pause.
Let's reflect on the person we believe in.
When we do this, we can then create an inner opportunity for growth to remind ourselves who we want to show up as.
I’ve been grateful to serve as a CEO and know many.
The more I experience, the more I have built a construct of my ideal CEO.
Before I continue, I want to make this simple:
A CEO is a Chief Executing On a vision they believe in.
It’s a mindset.
It’s a mindset of innovation, change, and creativity. It’s a mindset of growth. It’s a way of being.
It requires vulnerability.
Why I am sharing these characteristics
I laugh when I see one of those "8 characteristics required to be an entrepreneur" articles. You know, those articles that attempt to define what it takes to be an entrepreneur.
The reality I live in is different. Very different.
It starts with one simple question:
What do you want?
Next, I ask, what are you willing to give up to get what you want?
None of this “entrepreneurs need to have these traits to ‘be an entrepreneur.’”
None of this “leaders are born, not made” discussion.
I don’t buy any of it because it disrespects a very basic truth.
Here it is: There are 7.3 billion people on this planet.
Everyone is figuring out life the best they can with what they have with what they’ve been given.
Often, we forget that the English language which helps our species communicate with one another is simply that: a language to help us communicate.
To hide behind the labels and get caught up in all the minutia of language is small. I speak these words to acknowledge our objective reality and clean our lens.
Why am I sharing the characteristics of the ideal CEO I believe in? To inspire others on common patterns I have seen from many great CEOs and the way such patterns affect people.
As a keen observer of the human experience (HX), I love people, I love patterns, and I love connecting the dots.
The Ideal CEO That I Believe In
I am going to assume you are ideal and will speak to what I believe you are capable of. Maybe you align with these patterns or maybe your co-founders embody these characteristics as a whole.
The ideal CEO values self-knowledge, self-awareness, and true self-confidence.
The average person is permitted to have blind spots and lack self-awareness. You understand you are different. Understand that blind spots affect vision, employees, and customers, in addition to yourself. Blind spots can lead to pain, wasted energy, or lost opportunity. True self-confidence requires a healthy sense of self. With that self-confidence, you say no often because you're focused on the vision.
The ideal CEO understands the value of being human.
You value emotional intelligence and company culture. You understand that culture is more sustainable than strategy. The reality is that it takes people to execute on ideas. Human beings who can advance or hurt the vision. You care about human growth more than product growth. Human growth advances our human condition. You are a humanitarian. Entrepreneurial humanitarian. You are concerned with promoting human health, happiness, and success. You value the human investment. People determine success or failure.
The ideal CEO believes in leading with trust over fear.
Fear breeds fear. Fear enables survival. Trust empowers living. Leading with trust strengthens legacy. It strengthens the impact on the team and their families and friends. Create a safe zone in the workplace. This safety enables people to speak up so that you can navigate the startup waters smarter.
The ideal CEO believes that vulnerability is power.
Vulnerability, as defined by Brené Brown, is uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure. She would say that vulnerability is the foundation of creativity, change, and innovation. These characteristics embody the startup experience. Also, when you own your mistakes, you give people around you the permission to do the same. And that same vulnerability lets you know when to pivot.
The ideal CEO has mastered the art of storytelling.
Storytelling. The ability to plant a seed in the mind of others through stories. This is about more than words. It’s a feeling. These stories you tell embody the vision and the world that you believe in. This isn’t about right or wrong, good or bad, or listening to others. It’s about the deep seated ideal world that you want to live in. These stories give others something to believe in. They inspire, provoke hope, empower, and allow others to live for something bigger than themselves.
The ideal CEO believes in servant leadership.
The difference between a small dog and a large dog is that a large dog knows he is big. A small dog overcompensates and overcorrects by barking at every small thing. Big dogs understand they are big. Human beings are the same way.This is a belief. Nothing more. CEOs are already “at the top” in the eyes of most. Great CEOs who believe in servant leadership make those around them bigger. This posture is respected because human beings want to feel big. We want to feel great and noteworthy and appreciated and valued. Remarkable CEOs shine the light on those around them. They don’t tell employees what to do with rigid answers. They help employees think with questions and create space for discovery. Remarkable CEOs show up to serve. This mentality allows them to be big. This mentality allows them to talk big. No time for small talk.
The ideal CEO plays for the long-term game.
Short-term wins and quick success is deceptive. The greats know and value the long-term game. The marathon. You make decisions with the long-term in mind and want to build something great. Not good, great. Such investment in the future empowers CEOs to decide.
The ideal CEO lives with conviction of their deepest intention.
With conviction, or intensity of understanding, you understand and value your deepest intention. Notice, I said deepest. Intentions to chase external validation, or to prove something, or to make money, create weak foundations. When someone deeply wants to impact the human condition in a way they believe is good, they set the foundation for success. This is about alignment with your humanity and your greatest why.
The ideal CEO values and mindfully lives with legacy in mind.
Legacy is your value to humanity. It requires self, but it is not about self. Legacy is the stories told about you. It’s your impact on those around you. It’s your impact on the friends and families of those immediately around you.
The ideal CEO values their health.
I could drive my car 160 miles per hour on the freeway in 70 mile per hour traffic, but that’d be foolish. It would be dangerous to the families and people around me and it’d be overworking my engine. This analogy may seem obvious, yet so many live their lives like this. Boasting who slept the least is not a long-term strategy. You understand that you are the foundation of your startup and need to be healthy to execute against the vision. Avoid burnout. Sleep 7-8 hours. Listen to your body.
The ideal CEO understands the power of acceptance.
Some CEOs and founders struggle with self-acceptance. This is both a gift and a curse. Since you often experience life as you are and not as it is, it’s important to understand this so that you can be more mindful. There is a time to accept and there is a time to rattle the cages.
The ideal CEO understands the value of execution.
The game is not about strategy. It is about execution. Value execution and show up intensely to execute. This isn’t scientific, it’s an art. This is about sustainability. Great CEOs learn to love the process of execution and learning. Living life with the belief that every opportunity is a learning experience reframes everything.
The ideal CEO believes in being proactive.
Proactive in everything. Proactive in asking questions. Proactive in taking responsibility. Proactive in re-evaluating mindsets and thought patterns and beliefs and inner narratives. Proactive in not accepting the “norm” because you create your own “norm.” Often, CEOs say it’s “lonely at the top.” This is only your reality if you choose to live in that reality. Metacognitive acts heighten your mental awareness.
The ideal CEO understands the dance between attachment and detachment.
There is a time to attach to the present moment and focus. There is also a time to daydream and detach to reflect. Great CEOs have built habits for both. This balance helps provide perspective to better navigate the startup waters. Smart CEOs understand that they are not their business. This separation between founder(s) and startup success or failure is critical (and prevents shameful behaviors). Detach and laugh more.
The ideal CEO lives a paradox.
Your life is a paradox. It's a contrasting truth. Logically unacceptable. Self-contradictory. Since you show up to serve, you adapt to what needs to happen so that you can live in the world you believe in. Many don't understand it, few embody it. You live for a vision greater than self that gives you strength to dance between black and white.
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