CEOs are known for their confidence. It is, after all, one of the reasons they’ve made it to the top. And yet, that confidence sometimes flags, as we at leadership advisory firm Egon Zehnder learned from a survey of 402 CEOs from 11 countries—executives who together run companies with $2.6 trillion in sales.
Survey: 68% of CEOs Admit They Weren’t Fully Prepared for the Job
Three ways boards can change that.
July 20, 2018
Summary.
When executive search firm Egon Zehnder surveyey CEOs anonymously, 68% acknowledged that they’d come into the roles unprepared — especially when it came to areas like culture change, team leaderhship and self-management. How should boards close this development gap? By emphasizing the importance of constant growth, doing more hands-on management of new CEOs and focusing more intently on integration — for internal appointees as well as those hired from outside.
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HBR Learning
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Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Leading People. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
What you need to know about being in charge.