The Sad Truth About Developing Executives
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Re: The Sad Truth About Developing Executives
#2There are fast track executive development programs in Oil and Gas. But, the point is to develop a person before they become an executive. That said the mental shift from building to executing a company is difficult.
Re: The Sad Truth About Developing Executives
#3Unfortunately, especially in a startup, there aren't many friendly ways of saying "Hey, CEO, I think you're sucking at leading and sales. What gives?"
Especially if you're an early employee and not in the elevated founder class.
Re: The Sad Truth About Developing Executives
#4Unfortunately, especially in a startup, there aren't many friendly ways of saying "Hey, CEO, I think you're sucking at leading and sales. What gives?" Especially if you're an early employee and not in the elevated founder class.
I say it with my feet.
Re: The Sad Truth About Developing Executives
#5Unfortunately, especially in a startup, there aren't many friendly ways of saying "Hey, CEO, I think you're sucking at leading and sales. What gives?" Especially if you're an early employee and not in the elevated founder class.
Sure there is. You go talk to the CEO and say "I think you're sucking at leading and sales. And I think that because of reasons X, Y & Z."
They might not listen to you but you can certainly tell them.
Re: The Sad Truth About Developing Executives
#6What about the mantra: "surround yourself by people smarter than you". Where is the source of incompetence, is it actually lack of intellectual brainpower or is it contextual?
Re: The Sad Truth About Developing Executives
#7Unfortunately, especially in a startup, there aren't many friendly ways of saying "Hey, CEO, I think you're sucking at leading and sales. What gives?" Especially if you're an early employee and not in the elevated founder class.
Sure there is. You go talk to the CEO and say "I think you're sucking at leading and sales. And I think that because of reasons X, Y & Z." They might not listen to you but you can certainly tell them.
Good luck with that. Easy to say, but, in practice, that will lead to a negative result most of the time.
Re: The Sad Truth About Developing Executives
#8When you're hired as an executive, the state of affairs is either glorious or shit.
If its glorious, its because the previous executive left. You in this case have the excellent opportunity of not screwing it up. Good luck, but it'll be while before anyone figures out that you're an imposter. Typically, your team will know well ahead of the CEO. By the time the CEO knows, its too late to mentor you. The damage is done.
If the state of affairs is terrible when you join, as a semi reasonable executive, you should be able to identify the most basic things that are effed up, and show improvement within 90 days. If you're unable to improve things right away, when they are screwed up -- sorry, you don't have what it takes. No amount of mentorship will address this.
Re: The Sad Truth About Developing Executives
#9Unfortunately, especially in a startup, there aren't many friendly ways of saying "Hey, CEO, I think you're sucking at leading and sales. What gives?" Especially if you're an early employee and not in the elevated founder class.
If your command of the language is limited to "unfortunately (you're) sucking at", then you ought to keep these thoughts to yourself.
Re: The Sad Truth About Developing Executives
#10[deleted]