I was recently asked what I thought employees wanted in their CEO. Hmmmmm… some of my former CEO’s flashed in front of my eyes…the good, the bad and the ugly. Some were the best and some were the worst. I did a quick mental inventory of my former CEO’s and replied:
“To be fair, to listen to me and be good for my career”.
I would want a CEO to be fair – in their judgement of distributing the workload, of assigning new and interesting projects to me, in their evaluation of me and my contribution to the organization, to deal equitably with all employees and not favor one over another, to establish reasonable expectations and to give me the tools to meet my goals.
I would want a CEO to listen to me, to value my input and contribution, to be approachable, to not make snap decisions without weighing pertinent facts, to consider alternatives, to not be a micromanager, to let me seek creative solutions to problems, to respect me.
I would want a CEO to be good for my career – to provide leadership and inspiration, to effectively manage my organization so that we are known for excellence, to provide opportunities for professional growth and development, to teach me and help me develop new skills and provide opportunities to showcase my talents, to encourage me with my endeavors.
You know, sometimes it’s not just about the money. It’s about making my workplace a great place to work, where I want to be and where I can thrive.
Walking on water would be a plus.
CVG
