To most people, being the chief executive officer or the founder of a company sounds like a fun and amazing experience. Although I would agree that being the “top dog” has its perks, there is one really significant drawback that we don’t talk about enough.
If you’ve been following OfficerReports.com for any length of time, you know that I started OfficerReports almost 9 years ago. But prior to OfficerReports, I started a security consultancy, and before that a security guard company; a streaming video startup, and a landscaping company…I like to stay busy.
As a serial entrepreneur, I’ve learned a lot of lessons, many of which I believe most non-founders or non-CEO’s would be able to understand. But I also believe that there are certain things that only founders or CEOs will comprehend or empathize with. One of those things is how lonely a job being the CEO, owner, or founder can be.
Until you’ve started and run your own company, you will never understand the sense of obligation that CEO’s feel to their employees, vendors, customers, or investors. I’ve talked to a lot of people in passing who believe that CEO’s are these greedy, self-indulgent, schmucks who just don’t care. In some cases that’s probably true, but in most cases it’s the furthest thing from the truth. Having the title CEO is a heavy cross to bear because the buck stops with you for EVERYTHING.
…if you can’t meet payroll, that’s on you.
…if you lose a big customer, that’s on you.
…if your investors aren’t happy, that’s on you.
Even when you have an incredible team supporting you, in the end it’s all on you.
You Are Not Alone
Generally speaking, there probably aren’t many people in your circle who carry that type of responsibility. As a result, having the title CEO can be a VERY lonely job. Most of us have great friends and family in our support network who are there to lift us up and support us when things just aren’t going our way. But if you’re like me, there are times where you find yourself thinking “They just don’t get it.” That’s especially true after someone tells you, “It’s your company, don’t worry about it. Just do XYZ.” That’s why it is so important, for CEOs to join organizations like Vistage International or the Entrepreneurs’ Organization.
Finding other CEO’s to add to your support network is an absolute must when you are sitting in the CEO’s seat. I can’t count the number of times that I’ve had to lean on my mentors and other CEOs that I’ve met through these types of organizations to get me through a tough spot. I have learned over the past 25 years that as a CEO, you do not have to be alone. In fact, if makes the job much harder, if not impossible, if you have to go it alone. Strong leaders need to have strong and reliable mentors and people whom they can consult when faced with challenges and problems where the answer may not be clear.
If you are a CEO, founder, or owner who has leaned on another CEO, founder, or owner in a tough time, we’d love to hear about it. Please tell us who it was and how they helped in the comments below.
By Courtney Sparkman
OfficerReports.com is a software company that provides security guard companies with an easy way to monitor their officers, better manage their operations, and win new business. Take a tour of our software to see how we combine Electronic Reporting, Real-Time GPS based Tour Tracking, and GPS based Clock In and Out into one easy-to-use platform.
