"Some experiences in life simply can't be prepared for. You can imagine how you might feel and what you might do, but you can never actually know how you will respond in a situation until it happens. Falling in love, becoming a parent, and facing one's mortality all fit into this category. In the workplace, your first interview, first day on the job, and the first time you're given the responsibility of managing others fall into this category."
"What makes the top job so different from the leadership roles that come before it? To start with, new CEOs discover quickly that they're accountable for everything. Adobe's [Shantanu] Narayen explains how accountability shifts the moment you start the job: "The day you're announced CEO, your role changes drastically. Before, you had peers, and now they're looking at you to make the call.""
Becoming CEO exposes leaders to experiences that cannot be fully anticipated or rehearsed. New CEOs confront comprehensive accountability for all decisions and outcomes. The role changes relationships: former peers look for decisive calls, and leaders become more isolated, occupying a coach-like position relative to the team. The board functions as multiple part-time bosses, adding complexity to oversight and expectations. Prior leadership roles do not fully prepare leaders for the omnidirectional responsibility, emotional solitude, and stakeholder plurality inherent in the chief executive position. Aspiring CEOs should recognize the qualitative shift in responsibility, authority, and relational dynamics upon assuming the top job.
Read at Big Think
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