After completing our business development strategy meeting with his team, the CEO grabbed me and said, “Let’s get a coffee.” As we settled into his office, he mentioned that the year had been a good one, albeit very challenging, and he was ready for a break.
“There’s still so much uncertainty out there – the competition, tax law, new regulations – we can’t get a break and I’m tired. My team feels the same, but as the senior leader, it’s not appropriate to share my feelings with them. Amidst the uncertainty we all sense, they need to see my perseverance and determination, not my misgivings. It reminds me how alone you are when you’re the CEO.”
I responded that I had similar thoughts when I was serving in the top job, and find that this is just a normal, common perspective among senior leaders with whom we work. As they say, “It’s lonely at the top,” but that’s part of the job. There are some evaluations or decisions that only you as the senior leader can make. You solicit opinions, but typically keep many of your thoughts to yourself.
When your corporate responsibilities conflict with your personal core values, you really feel the solitude – you can’t discuss this inner struggle with your staff. We have heard this comment so frequently that we recently established a new service in which CEOs and other leaders regularly meet in small groups to discuss how best to preserve the balance between the vital business and personal influences in their lives. Based on the growing popularity of these meetings, it’s clear that juggling business needs and personal principles is just another familiar challenge for today’s CEOs and senior leaders.
How do you resolve conflicts between your
business responsibilities and your personal values?
Do you seek resolution or choose to ignore when these conflicts arise?
