CEO: a leader or a boss?
Does a CEO act as a leader or as a boss? How to work as both? #business #finance #management #company-culture
5 answers
Daniela Silva
Daniela’s Answer
Hello, again!
Boss Versus Leader - There Are Differences
A leader can be a boss, but not every boss is a leader. In aspiring to climb to higher levels in business, many people make the mistake of dreaming about becoming 'the boss' rather than becoming a leader.
Great leaders share a combination of traits and behaviours:
Vision - Leaders have exceptional vision and the ability to convey it to others. Their leadership comes from a strength of purpose.
Value - Their leadership reflects that they care. Their view is to deliver value to customers and colleagues alike.
Character - Their leadership reflects their integrity.
Communication - Real leaders articulate vision and ideas, taking the time to listen to others concerns and thoughts. Honest communication fuels them.
Empowerment: Leaders empower, instilling confidence in others and letting them take ownership of their work.
Efficiency - Leaders are motivated by the creation of a future. Each goal is significant and actionable, as well as being attainable and fully understood by all. Such leadership predicates the things that matter and is synonymous with high-performance teams and organisations.
Recognition - Leaders appreciate and recognise the team they are working with as well as their efforts. Leaders respect and know how to treat people.
Leadership increases performance. Leadership increases productivity. Leadership increases profit. Good leaders are an invaluable asset to a company, and poor leadership has the potential to destroy it.
Leaders are not a different breed of people. They are not born to lead but prepared to lead. Leadership skills can be taught and learned.
Source: http://www.ceoinstitute.com/resources/ceos-desk/blog-article/boss-versus-leader-there-are-differences/
Best!
Paul’s Answer
Hi Abdulwahab,
One of the most concise descriptions I've kept about the role of a CEO was commented by @CTOAdvisor Keith Townsend on a podcast I listen to. He describes the role of a CEO as one of, or a combo of the following:
The leader of the Company
The manager of the Company
* The face of the Company
The Leader role is well described by Daniela above (takes a bit of natural leadership, understand people's motivations, group dynamics, how divisions need to work together).
A manager role is more in line with Boss, or otherwise thought of the person managing the business (here's where an MBA can help). When this is not the CEO playing this role, it's often the COO.
The Face of the Company may be the most self explanatory - Many CEO's bring value to a company by being the person in the public, representing the company to outside parties. They are their own PR.
Which of these roles is played by the CEO versus others in the company varies by company, but every CEO needs to support at least a little bit of each role.
Paul
Elizabeth’s Answer
To me, every member of an organization is a leader. Out individual behaviors and actions can influence others (both positively and negatively). We should lead by example, bringing the best of ourselves forward everyday, and encouraging those around us to do the same.
Dustin’s Answer
The truth is both. Leadership is an ineffable quality that even a janitor can possess. A boss is just authority, usually backed by the power to end a person's employment. A boss has enough power to make you do the bare minimum. A leader can inspire you to produce more than you ever thought you could. The best CEOs are all leaders, but even the worst CEO is still a boss.
Claudio S’s Answer
I believe the CEO acts a leader. If I were the CEO, I think I will prefer to be called or known to be as an effective and emphatic LEADER than someone who is a "boss" (i.e. bossing around the employees, for example).