David G.
CEO/Snr Sales type for startups, turnarounds, innovator, Mentor, coach, strategist, lateral thinker and change agent.
Is corporate culture in reality nothing more than a reflection of the “Ego Need” of the CEO? How well understood is this phenomenon?
Tuning in to what the CEO wants to hear. Promotions, pay rises and getting those 5 star trips may count on it.
Watching an exec meeting one can see which of the execs have worked out what the CEO wants to hear and how it is to be sugar packaged. Lets not get confused with what the CEO NEEDS to hear or should, in the interests of best business practice, be told.
Those unspoken rules, subtle practices, ways of reporting, what is said and what is not, what is buried and what is discussed where and how executive time is spent, the omnipresent sub-text of all that happens is a reflection of the CEO’s ego need.
Yet CEO’s are, with rare exception, chosen from amongst those intensely driven individuals or those who believe they are entitled to such roles due to their social standing.
While this overarching issue that perhaps more than anything else will determine the probable success or otherwise of a CEO’s actual contribution to the company and sundry stakeholders it is either ignored or deemed as irrelevant
This is not an emotional intelligence matter, the most flaky and corrupt Wall St goons were often persons of exceptional emotional intelligence and boom times make any CEO look good.
Until the CEO selection committees come to grips with and ways to measure the ego need factor are found how is it possible to hire better quality CEO’s?
Good Answers (2)
Mark H.
Changing how people and organizations work together
Best Answers in: Organizational Development (67), Staffing and Recruiting (24), Change Management (22), Corporate Governance (17), Career Management (14), Mentoring (9), Personnel Policies (8), Compensation and Benefits (4), Labor Relations (4), Certification and Licenses (3), Work-life Balance (3), Ethics (3), Education and Schools (2), Job Search (2), Government Policy (2), Business Development (2), Planning (2), Professional Networking (2), Nonprofit Management (1), Manufacturing (1), Personal Investing (1), Branding (1), Communication and Public Speaking (1), Business Plans (1), Small Business (1), Using LinkedIn (1)
David:
Hmm. A "culture" that is merely pandering to the needs and desires of the CEO in my mind isn't really a culture at all, at least not a healthy or functional one.
I have seen hugely egostistical CEOs and executive teams that pander to them. It that merely a function of the CEO? What about the BOD and the executives who have sacrificed their own personal integrity to kiss ass and be "rewarded"?
You also leave out that voracious monster called the market. I have worked with organizations who made the decision to "go public" and talked to their leadership about how your entire life begins to revolve around the assessment of "analysts" who in many cases have never run a business. Do most of buy stock or products based on the character of the CEO or the price?
To the point of Frank and some of the others the CEO is the steward of the culture not a religous deity. The Board, and the rest of the management team need to accept some serious personal accountability. I was just following orders didn't cut in Nazi Germany and we shouldn't use it as an excuse for a lack of integrity in the corporate world.
At least in the United States Lincoln freed the slaves. You have a choice. If you stay with a dysfunctional, morally bankrupt organization you need to look in the mirror and accept at least half of the responsibility.
Rob B.
Program Manager – IT Governance, Regulatory Compliance, and Controls at ActiveHealth Management
Best Answers in: Organizational Development (2), Purchasing (1), Economics (1), Government Contracts (1), Government Policy (1), Government Services (1), Exporting/Importing (1), Internationalization and Localization (1), Business Analytics (1), Labor Relations (1), Nonprofit Management (1), Market Research and Definition (1), Energy and Development (1)
I am not so sure about this. I think that Sanford Weil and Jack Welch embodied this CEO model, but I don't think it is the rule.
In most of the companies with which I am familiar, and whose CEO is not the actual owner or founder, it works differently, The CEO gets the job by seeming most to embody the culture and to be its most effective standard bearer. In other words, the CEO reflects the prevailing culture more than the culture reflects the ego of the CEO.
The exceptions seem to be the "rock star" CEO - a newly endangered species, I hope - brought in to make rain and to shake up the culture, and the "Good to Great" CEO who rises from the ranks to a position of responsible leadership. In the latter case, it seems to be the LACK of overweening ego that lands the job.
More Answers (8)
Alan C.
Owner at Alan Nuclear
Best Answers in: Government Policy (2), Small Business (2), Education and Schools (1), Job Search (1), Budgeting (1), Venture Capital and Private Equity (1), Economics (1), Risk Management (1), Public Health and Safety (1), Work-life Balance (1), Criminal Law (1), Events Marketing (1), Business Analytics (1), Currency Markets (1), Project Management (1), Professional Networking (1), Energy and Development (1), Green Products (1), E-Commerce (1)
This is true and CEOs go for the wrong things, like somehow cigars are better than the smell of flowers. And mixed drinks are somehow better than juice. And Lexus are somehow better than Cadillacs. And 100 dollar steaks are somehow better than broccoli-cheese soup. And golf is somehow better than water skiing. I think snow skiing is better than golf.
Firas A.
CEO ♦ Finance & FMCG Professional ♦ Real Estate Brokerage ♦ All In One ♦ One For All
Best Answers in: Using LinkedIn (126), Mentoring (4), Customer Service (3), Personnel Policies (3), Staffing and Recruiting (3), Ethics (3), Software Development (3), Organizational Development (2), Education and Schools (1), Freelancing and Contracting (1), Event Marketing and Promotions (1), Government Policy (1), Health Administration (1), International Law (1), Offshoring and Outsourcing (1), Tax Law (1), Internet Marketing (1), Change Management (1), Distribution (1), Energy and Development (1), E-Commerce (1), Telecommunications (1), Wireless (1)
Dear David,
Well unfortunately,sometimes it is like that, but let us be courageous and not walk blindly, what the CEO NEEDS,LIKES,WANTS,PREFER,DECIDE, if these are for the corporate benefit and goals no prob.....but we can't say corporate culture is the reflection of the EGO NEED of the CEO....since we can't limit the corporate by one or two persons and their ego ...
strange really if ego now is an important factor for hiring CEO with better quality!!!!!!!! so let's open EGO schools and Universities so we can provide certificates......:)
Corporate goals and strategies comes first if his ego for the corporate benefit most welcome if not who wants a job...lol
Regards,
I think I would challenge you to think more deeply about why things are happening the way you describe them...to go to the core...I am not certain you have gone there yet!
The executive manager's projection is most likely absolute...What is projected and how (conversely what is not projected and how) is immensely meaningful. mdh
Frank F.
►CEO/Bd Director ►IT Governance Advisor ►Future-Proof Strategy ►Keynotes ►Inno-Change ►Social Media Mktg ►China Advisor
Best Answers in: Using LinkedIn (276), Organizational Development (102), Change Management (81), Government Policy (48), Economics (30), Staffing and Recruiting (29), Corporate Governance (29), Career Management (28), Ethics (26), Equity Markets (24), Business Development (21), Planning (21), Mentoring (20), Business Analytics (17), Communication and Public Speaking (17), Education and Schools (15), Internationalization and Localization (15), Personnel Policies (14), Web Development (14), Small Business (12), Energy and Development (12), Job Search (11), Internet Marketing (11), Financial Regulation (10), Advertising (10), Professional Networking (10), Project Management (9), E-Commerce (9), Compensation and Benefits (8), Sales Techniques (8), Writing and Editing (8), Manufacturing (8), Computers and Software (8), International Law (7), Starting Up (7), Blogging (7), Accounting (6), Quality Management and Standards (6), Government Services (5), Work-life Balance (5), Offshoring and Outsourcing (5), Lead Generation (5), Software Development (5), Customer Service (4), Health Care (4), Treaties, Agreements and Organizations (4), Search Marketing (4), Nonprofit Management (4), Philanthropy (4), Social Enterpreneurship (4), Branding (4), Market Research and Definition (4), Business Plans (4), Biotech (4), Facilities Management (3), Certification and Licenses (3), Occupational Training (3), Conference Planning (3), Risk Management (3), Public Health and Safety (3), Exporting/Importing (3), Contracts (3), Employment and Labor Law (3), Guerrilla Marketing (3), Viral Marketing (3), Public Relations (3), Customer Relationship Management (3), Labor Relations (3), Currency Markets (3), Derivatives Markets (3), Futures Markets (3), Nonprofit Fundraising (3), Inventory Management (3), Personal Debt Management (3), Wealth Management (3), Product Design (3), Green Products (3), Enterprise Software (3), Telecommunications (3), Regulation and Compliance (2), Car and Train Travel (2), Freelancing and Contracting (2), Event Marketing and Promotions (2), Public Funding (2), Criminal Law (2), Corporate Law (2), Property Law (2), Direct Marketing (2), Graphic Design (2), Bond Markets (2), Commodity Markets (2), Packaging and Labeling (2), Supply Chain Management (2), Personal Investing (2), Personal Real Estate (2), Distribution (2), Professional Books and Resources (2), Incorporation (2), Green Business (2), Air Travel (1), Business Dining and Entertainment (1), Travel Tools (1), Resume Writing (1), Conference Venues (1), Budgeting (1), Foreign Investment (1), Mergers and Acquisitions (1), Government Contracts (1), Environmental Health (1), Antitrust Law (1), Finance and Securities Law (1), Events Marketing (1), Mobile Marketing (1), Hedge Funds (1), Option Markets (1), Individual Insurance (1), Industrial Design (1), Pricing (1), Positioning (1), Information Storage (1)
I must say that I have seen very
little of this in my entire career.
Yes some CEOs are jerks who
surround themselves with spineless
"Yes men", but they either don't
last (they get fired) or all their
subordinates leave because they
will not tolerate such crap.
Dave G.
Dave Guerra is Evangelist for Superperforming Organizations and People I Author, CEO I Co-Founder & Chrm, THRIVE
Best Answers in: Organizational Development (4), Staffing and Recruiting (1), Change Management (1), Project Management (1)
Great question: In my experience corporate culture is either liberated or trapped, depending on the CEO. If he/she is a Superperforming CEO / Servant Leader it is liberated. All others fail to understand and leverage the intrinsic motivation of their workforces and so the Seabiscuit hidden inside their organizations are never unleashed.
Clarification added August 28, 2009:
correction: Seabiscuits
Culture is important - and at the best company, its not an ego thing. Many companies are finding that by defining "company values" they can do training that exhibits those values & recruiting talent that posess those values. For example, my company stresses integrity, commitment, flexibilty and kindness. Hard to "avoid" those!
Depending on the company - ie size and business sector - the CEO HAS to be the driver of that companies culture... - Flight of the Buffalo by Belasco and Stayer comes to mind. In larger corporations the CEO has to BE the corporate culture to the outside world and in so doing/being that has to rub off backwards into the company.
As for "yes men" the CEO's attitude has to engender that and I suppose that approach by the CEO will create a habit..that generates behaviour...behaviour influences attitude...and attitude creates Culture so... the CEO does drive the culture and if that is because of his Ego then I agree that will become the culture of teh company.
I've been in the odd situation where my team criticized my choice of car because it did not portray the image they felt I should give in dealings with potential clients...had to upsize! BUT I still support the view that the EGO is NOT what makes a succesfull corporate culture.... nor does yes men (nor the ones that can find fault with everything).
Was once involved in a series of workshops in a big blue chip company called "Valuing the Difference" that not only stressed the points made by Mike but also impressed on all who attended the value to the company of "Linda" who only photocopied and filed... she became a star for the next few weeks and you could see the "culture" move.... did it change the CEO? didn't need to ... he was genuinely interested.. and a driver of the change programme.
So selection ought to be able to suss out those CEOs who would "value the difference"
As I recall the great (and no so great) leaders in my life, Digital Equipment Corporation comes to mind as a good case study.
Ken Olsen, its founder, created a culture of "family" that extended to more than 100,000 employees around the world - and was an early adopter of both matrix and high-performing organizational concepts. Employees were well-known to be fiercely committed to the company and each other.
It is interesting to note that Ken was at one point the wealthiest individual in New England. Yet he still drove a Pinto to work, did not have an assigned parking spot (“if I want to park close, I get in early”), frequently walked the halls, ate in the company cafeteria and would pitch in to help anyone.
Due to product strategy differences, Ken was ousted by the board and replaced by a driven, “culture of performance” former engineer. The successor drove an ostentatious sports car, immediately had his name painted on a parking spot, wore flamboyant designer suits and was estranged from workers.
Almost immediately with the change in the “tone from the top” the sense of family was lost, employee productivity fell and turnover became rampant. DEC became just another place to work.
Positive corporate culture can be driven by healthy ego; problems arise when the goal of the culture is to display it on a lapel pin.
