CEO or Chief Vision Officer? Let’s Talk About Crafting a Powerful Message – Starting with Why!

I was brushing up on leadership strategies recently and came across an old friend—not literally, of course, but someone I love learning from: Simon Sinek. You probably know him from his best-selling book, Start with Why.

Naturally, this led me down the infamous YouTube rabbit hole (don’t pretend it hasn’t happened to you!), where I stumbled upon a recent interview with Sinek. He made a great point about how much he dislikes the title Chief Executive Officer. According to him, it doesn’t reflect what the leader actually does. Instead, he suggests Chief Vision Officer—which, hopefully, is far more accurate. The CVO's job is to sell the company’s "Why"—its higher purpose, vision, and what it’s trying to accomplish.

Sinek often references Apple in his book. Apple’s genius is their ability to make you feel like you're buying into something bigger than just electronics (even if those electronics are lifesaving... most days). Who doesn’t love that moment when you open the sleek, sophisticated iPhone box? I mean, it’s practically the best part of the purchase! Apple has somehow made the packaging part of the buying experience. There’s nothing like opening that box, and I have never come across anything quite like it.

Connecting the "Why" to Recruitment

Now, let’s tie this back to recruiting. The best interviews, the ones where everything just clicks, happen when the leader—whether it’s the CFO or CEO—sells the vision to the candidate. I have a client who works with me to strategically align our message to the market. We’re completely on the same page, which builds trust with candidates. They leave interviews with the CFO (who is also Co-CEO) totally pumped about the company, saying, “Renee, the interview was exactly as you described!” And that’s because we’re perfectly aligned on the message.

People buy into the Why. People stay because of the Why. People are loyal to the Why.

Yet, most leaders aren’t great at delivering that message. Below the CFO or CEO level, the vision barely gets mentioned, if at all. That’s a problem. When I use the term “leader,” that is anyone in the organization—you can be a leader in any role. So, whether you are a first-level manager or the CFO, the Why message still needs to be communicated.

Shifting the Culture Toward the Why

It’s time to change that. If people are loyal to the Why, and they’re the ones responsible for executing that vision (the How), they need to understand it and buy into it. Great cultures are built on the Why, not on what you do.

So, think about training your team to lead with the company’s Why in the interview process. If I were a betting woman, I’d wager that your recruiting process will get a whole lot easier.

For more insights on recruiting strategies and leadership tips, visit mseedinc.com. Let’s help you build a team that doesn’t just work—they believe.