• Home
  • Onboarding
  • Leadership development
  • Our process
  • Mentors
  • between/Us
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Product
Executive Springboard
  • Home
  • Onboarding
  • Leadership development
  • Our process
  • Mentors
  • between/Us
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Product
Everybody is entitled to OUR opinions!

To our future heroes

5/18/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
In late March, I had a conversation with a headhunter in Silicon Valley. At a time of almost universal bad news, he had was upbeat about his business. I found his message unnerving.
 
In one day, he had received three inquiries to conduct CEO searches. The reason in all three cases? The current CEOs had determined that putting their businesses back together again would just be too hard. They didn’t need any more compensation, although their personal wealth had taken a hit in the previous two months. Quitting was the best thing for their wellbeing. This led panicked boards of directors to seek out this recruiter for searches.
 
I asked other search firms if they had seen the same phenomenon. Their immediate response made me think this was a one-off, or that the recruiter was just blowing smoke. But, over the next month or so, yes, there were more confirmed cases of COVID-related retirements. And the implication of this micro-trend was pretty startling to me:
 
In a time of unemployment rates approaching or surpassing 20%, we don’t have enough experienced CEOs. 
 
People will be thrust into top positions for the first time. They will need the support of their leadership teams. They must earn the alignment and engagement of an employee base that is feeling very uncertain. They’ll have to demonstrate confidence in their convictions yet be quick to adjust when things are not working.
 
Over the past few months, we have lauded the heroic efforts of healthcare workers and first responders. Putting the economy back together will require equally heroic actions from corporate leaders, who will be tested like never before. Gregg Tate, in his series of LinkedIn posts, made clear that The Return will be far more difficult than our recent exit and lockdown. It will require transparency, flexibility, patience and, above all, humanity.
 
Leadership is often a lonely undertaking; it doesn’t have to be. I urge leaders to seek counsel from those who have lived through other crises, who are willing to share their scars and their wisdom. 
 
In heroic literature, Arthur pulled a sword from a stone, fulfilling a prophesy, and was proclaimed king. Nobody thought he was ready for the role or up to the challenge. But he had Merlin as a mentor. And he had his executive leadership team at the Round Table. To the heroes who are stepping up when they are most needed, I offer this advice. 
 
Find your Merlin and embrace your knights.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Executive Springboard President Steve Moss shares learning from years as an executive and a mentor.

    Archives

    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    July 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    March 2023
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Contact us for a free consultation today.


Contact

[email protected]
​651-431-0252
Copyright 2024
​
  • Home
  • Onboarding
  • Leadership development
  • Our process
  • Mentors
  • between/Us
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Product