Chairman vs. CEO: 4 Subtle Differences Between the Two Leadership Styles
Autumn Cafiero Giusti
While CEOs manage day-to-day operations, corporate boards are charged with making sure the company meets the requirements of its mission. A company’s long-term growth and success can hinge on the appropriate management of the different roles and responsibilities between corporate executives and the board members, according to marketing consultant Justin Sachs, who spoke with The Huffington Post. Here are a few considerations he suggests business leaders make when switching between those two roles.
1. Oversight looks different from afar. The big-picture mentality required from board leadership can be a stark contrast from the more involved, day-to-day management style a CEO is used to. Board members need to turn attention away from the day-to-day and instead focus on long-term investments and the growth of the business, Sachs wrote. And since the CEO is narrowly-focused on daily operations, the company is counting on its board for overall planning and development strategies.
2. Pressure on boardrooms is mounting. Corporate boards around the globe are facing tougher demands amid an increasingly competitive business environment. According to the 2016 Global Board of Directors Survey by SpencerStuart and the WomenCorporateDirectors Foundation, 61% of public companies and 59% of private companies surveyed indicated that global growth prospects are uncertain.
3. Each has contrasting leadership styles. Whereas CEOs are leading a team, board members are leading the leaders of a business. It’s a board member’s job to influence the rest of the board team to align with his or her ideas, and then once approved, to communicate those ideas with the CEO for implementation, Sachs said.
4. The board-CEO relationship will shape the business. Like any marriage, the relationship between the board chair and the CEO can strengthen or weaken the company as a whole, according to Association Management. Strong communication and mutual respect is key here.
As your boardroom tenure progresses, keep in mind why you joined the board in the first place, suggests Association Management. Find what motivates you to serve and let that guide your decision-making in the organization.
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1:00 - 5:00 pm
We are in a period of rapid change. Customer needs, technologies, competitors and internal capabilities require companies to review and update their strategies for the new realities. In this workshop, strategy experts Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison will show you a systematic approach to strategic planning to help you refine or redefine your business strategy and approach including:
2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
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General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.
