What specific behaviours are CEOs exhibiting that show they are avoiding hard conversations? How does a CEO balance the responsibility of increasing shareholder equity with the well-being and functioning of their team? I observe Chief executives who do not want or have the skills to have hard conversations. It astounds me that this happens. A Position of power demands robust discussions, especially when the wheels are coming off the team that the person is leading—more and more CEOs’ discharge this responsibility to someone else in the organisation.

This behaviour will not instil confidence in the team and, more so, the effect this has on how the team is supposed to function.CEO needs to accept and understand that a job is a lonely place; it’s not a popularity contest. It’s a job that requires you to increase shareholders’ equity and to work the share price in their best interest.

Shareholders want to see their dividends increase; they do not care about your internal struggles when you need to fire or demote a worker. A leader of the organisation gets paid for accountability rather than hard work.

How to be effective as a CEO:

1. Directing the “traffic” means appointing the best people with the budget you have to get going and trust them. Don’t micromanage
2.  You, not a therapist
3. Always let the team take the credit, not you.
4. Always appoint people who have the potential to be better than you. That is not being insecure. It’s being secure, and there is immense power in that.