Trying to be a Perfect CEO? Get Comfortable With Being an Imperfect One Instead.

After a global spike in CEO turnover last year, the newly appointed class of successors are undoubtedly hard at work to prove they can navigate the many challenges in today’s global business environment.

I have been in their shoes and I have had the pleasure of working with many high-performing CEOs.

My top piece of advice? Embrace your imperfections.

Evolving CEO Expectations

The traditional image of the all-knowing, all-powerful CEO has long been an illusion and has become even more divorced from reality as business complexities have multiplied. Today’s CEOs face more risks—and higher expectations—than ever before.?

Their performance is measured by a new set of evolving standards that go well beyond profit and loss to include increasingly more stringent indicators linked to social concerns, governance practices, and environmental issues.

If that wasn’t enough, CEOs also face the additional hazard that comes with being placed on a pedestal.

Business leaders ranked as the most unifying group in society in Edelman's 2023 Trust Barometer—a halo of public confidence that can quickly become a burden when opinion shifts in the opposition direction.

No single individual, no matter how talented, can navigate all these risks and meet all these expectations alone.

That’s why RRA developed the concept of The Imperfect CEO.

Imperfect CEOs recognize that their success hinges on their ability to recruit, empower, and inspire a talented C-suite team.

Building the right team requires some humility. By recognizing their own imperfections, CEOs can plug the gaps in their expertise and create a pathway for new and better ideas.

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A Shift in Mindset

Of course, there are some must-have CEO capabilities that cannot be effectively handled by other C-suite executives. The CEO should always take ownership of the corporate strategic direction and culture, as well as the responsibility to maintain relationships with the board and investors, oversee the balance sheet and capital allocation, and create a process that leads to a deliverable vision.

These traditional leadership tests remain essential, but the must-have CEO requirements also include the ability to build and lead a talented, collaborative C-suite team.

Support from a trusted and talented team eases the burden, bolsters confidence, and fosters a shared commitment throughout the enterprise.

CEOs have a difficult job that comes with a lot of responsibilities, but it should never be lonely at the top.

So, remember that no-one is perfect. And, in fact, imperfection can lead to greatness. Basketball legend Michael Jordan said it well a few years before his transition to a successful business career:

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”?