Valuable advice for new CEOs

March 1st 2022 | Posted by Dave

Undertaking your first role as a CEO can be both invigorating and challenging.

This is especially the case if you are negotiating an unfamiliar organisational landscape at the same time. There are steps that successful CEOs advise less experienced professionals to take in order to more easily progress in the role.

Prioritise changes that achieve major goals

Every new CEO will have people in the organisation competing for their attention. It’s vital to give yourself space and time to understand your major goals and those of the organisation.

In order to make this happen, it’s a good idea to limit the number of changes made initially. Doing this involves placing ideas to one side so you are able to prioritise them before taking any action. It also involves ensuring that any changes you do make help to push you and the organisation towards achieving the major goals you identified.

Influence in a positive manner

Simply being in a CEO position means that people pay attention to you and the way you behave. This makes it essential that you strive to be a positive influence. This enables you to develop a powerful position by using your influence rather than by utilising forceful means.

When developing influence that is positive in nature, adopting the most effective means of communication is essential. This often means using several communication methods and styles and tailoring them to meet the requirements of a specific audience.

Understand the financial landscape clearly

When operating in a new CEO role, it’s vital that you have a deep understanding of the financials of the organisation before you make any changes. If you are then considering updating or changing contracts legal advice and consideration is also a requirement.

If organisational changes are in your thoughts, ensuring you have an accurate understanding of current processes is essential as is collaborating with the HR department.

Be dedicated to authenticity

As soon as you undertake the role of CEO in an organisation, understanding what type of leader you are going to be is a must. This enables you to act authentically as you progress in the role. It’s vital that the type of leader you are reflects the values and vision of the organisation.

You also have a responsibility to act in a way that aligns with the expectations of employees, customers, and other stakeholders. So, developing a knowledge of what these expectations are is key to your success.

Maintain a high level of emotional intelligence

A high-level of emotional intelligence (EQ) is a key attribute of top-performing CEOs. Having this attribute empowers you with self-awareness and the ability to self-manage. So, working on developing your EQ has to be a critical task.

Spending time working with a coach helps with this. It provides you with a deeper understanding of your strengths, values, and management style and enable you to identify potential blind spots and liabilities.

Taking these steps assists you as a new CEO embarking on your career journey and enables you to progress successfully.