It seems like you can’t go one day without reading about some CEO who does something stupid, selfish or both.
CEO is an immediately recognizable abbreviation for Chief Executive Officer. It’s one of those titles that many young entrepreneurs aspire to reach. And while the aspirations may be pure I want to challenge you to think differently about what a modern day CEO should look like.
When you break down CEO word by word a clearer picture starts to develop
Chief – One who is highest in rank or authority
Executive – A person or group having administrative or managerial authority in an organization
Officer – One who holds an office of authority or trust in an organization, such as a corporation
The reoccurring theme in each is “authority”. Authority can be such a tricky thing. Used incorrectly it can lead to abuse while conversely , in others, it brings out admirable leadership. In any event when you read those individual definitions of the words it doesn’t seem to paint a picture of some of today’s next generation CEO’s. Tony Hsieh of Zappos certainly doesn’t fit the old definition of CEO, nor does Nick Sarillo.
Examples like Tony and Nick should lead us to rethink what a CEO of the future stands for. Phrases like Creative Energy Offered, Chief Example Officer, Caring Excited Outgoing, Crazy Energy Offered are just a few that come to mind. The old Chiefs and Officers are no longer effective, like the business environment in the hit TV series Mad Men, it may have worked like that in the past, but no longer . Looking to the future it’s about something far greater than authority, it’s about inspiring by example, leading by serving, and bringing new ideas to the work environment.
What kind of CEO will you be?
