ABSTRACT

The Five Temptations of a CEO (Chief Executive Officer)
1. Choosing Status Over Results
The first temptation is the toughest one to fix. Some CEOs tend to put priority on the status of their career instead of achieving results, the true measure of success. They focus on the higher rung of the ladder, not on accomplishing more for the company.

Although it is only right that executives should be proud of the milestones in their personal careers, they should not lose sight of the purpose of their positions to achieve results for the firm.

2. Choosing Popularity Over Accountability Even if the executive is not overly focused with his status, he could still fail to achieve results for the company if he avoids or refuses to hold subordinates accountable for their responsibilities. Fear of becoming unpopular among colleagues makes the executive ineffective because he cannot implement policies which require more
responsibilities and accountability.

3. Ensuring Every Decision Is Correct A CEO must overcome the fear of making wrong decisions. To avoid looking bad, some CEOs tend to wait until they receive all pertinent information before making correct decisions. CEOs, however, never get to decide because information is always limited. It also does not help that policies made to guide the company toward its goals are never delivered. With no clear-cut policies, no one can be held accountable.

4. Avoiding Conflict at All Cost The desire for harmony is inherent. It seems understandable, it seems right, to avoid discord and disagreement among the people in the organization. But if healthy, productive conflict of ideas is restricted, the CEO is deprived of valuable feedbacks from his team. As a result, a CEO is left to make decisions without the full benefit of everyone's ideas.

5. Choosing Invulnerability Over Trust Most CEOs will balk if they are asked to show their soft side to subordinates. It is hard for CEOs to open up and be vulnerable, and to trust the people they are paid to lead. Great CEOs, however, are not afraid to put their weaknesses on the table. In fact, they invite people to help them minimize those weaknesses. Good CEOs are confident of their ability and don't lose face if they commit mistakes. They know that the organization's results are the ultimate measure of success, not the appearance of being right all the time.