Developed by Authenticity Consulting, LLC
Overview of Role of Chief Executive
© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting,
LLC.
Adapted from the Field Guide to Leadership and Supervision
The chief executive officer is the most important role in the management of an organization. This topic in the library does not go into great detail about each of the particular systems and practices managed by the chief executive officer because those systems and practices are explained in depth across many of the other topics in this library. This library topic provides sufficient overview for the reader to gain basic perspective on the typical roles and responsibilities of the chief executive officer and how those responsibilities are typically met.
Sections of This Topic Include
Gaining Broad Perspective on Role of Chief Executive Officer
What is the "Chief Executive
Officer"? (includes definition and major roles of position)
What Do Chief Executive Officers Do? (includes
major functions and example job descriptions)
Core Areas of Knowledge and Skills Required by Chief Executive Officers
Basics in Management and Leadership
Planning
Organizing
Leading
Coordinating Activities/Resources (including
performance management)
Special Topics
CEO Development
Evaluating the CEO
Transitioning to New CEO (detailed procedure,
contracts, etc.)
Other Miscellaneous Topics (board relations,
executive pay, etc.)
Founder's Syndrome
This syndrome occurs when the organization operates according
to the personality of someone in the organization (usually the
founder) rather than according to the mission of the organization.
The Chief Executive Officer can make a big difference in helping
an organization to detect Founder's Syndrome and recover from
the Syndrome.
Founder's
Syndrome -- How Organizations Suffer -- and Can Recover
Also see
Related Library Topics
Also See The Library's Blogs Related To the Role of Chief Executive
In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to the Role of Chief Executive. Scan down the blog's page to see various posts. Also see the section "Recent Blog Posts" in the sidebar of the blog or click on "next" near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.
Library's
Leadership Blog
Library's Supervision Blog
What is the "Chief Executive Officer"?
A "Definition"
The definition of "chief executive officer" (almost always) depends on whether a business is a corporation or not, that is, whether it (usually) has a board of directors or not. In an organization that has a board of directors, the "chief executive officer" is (usually) the singular organizational position that is primarily responsible to carry out the strategic plans and policies as established by the board of directors. In this case, the chief executive reports to the board of directors. In a form of business that is usually without a board of directors (sole proprietorship, partnership, etc.), the "chief executive officer" is (usually) the singular organizational position (other than partnerships, etc.) that sets the direction and oversees the operations of an organization.
Major Roles of the Position of Chief Executive Officer
The following link references the major roles carried out by
the typical chief executive officer.
Roles and
Responsibilities of the Chief Executive
Position Can Have Various Titles
This organizational position, whether in corporations or not, is also sometimes called the President, Executive Director, Chief Administrator, etc. Information in this topic will use the phrase "Chief Executive Officer".
What Do Chief Executive Officers Do?
Typical Responsibilities
The following link references a listing of the broad responsibilities
of the typical position of chief executive officer.
Typical
Responsibilities of Corporate Chief Executive Officer (nonprofit
or for-profit)
Job Descriptions
The following links reference additional overviews of the general responsibilities of a chief executive, including listing of those responsibilities in job descriptions.
"Generic" Job Description
Job Descriptions of Nonprofit CEOs
Thanks to Betsey M. Noble, Internet Research Librarian, Global
Employment Solutions, Inc., for the following:
CEO Job Descriptions in Non-Profit Organizations
Clean
AIR Force of Central Texas Executive Director
The
CEO Role in Associations
Job Descriptions of For-Profit CEOs
The CEO Job Description
The
CEO Job Description
What
do CEOs do? A CEO Job Description
Core Areas of Knowledge and Skills Required by Chief Executive Officers
The chief executive officer is the overall, primary management and leadership role in the organization. Therefore, it's critical that chief executive officers have strong knowledge and skills in a wide variety of areas. However, there are certain basic areas of knowledge and skills which provide the foundation from which chief executive officers can add knowledge and skills customized to the particular nature of their organization, its industry (service, manufacturing, wholesale, etc.) and the current environment (political, social, economic and technological).
Basics in Management and Leadership
Managing
Yourself
Basic,
Entry-Level Skills in Organizational Management
Core
Competencies for Leading
Boards
of Directors
Planning
Business
Planning (plan a new business organization, product, business
department, etc.)
Strategic
Planning (establish organizational goals and how to reach them)
Organizing
Human
Resources Management
Organizing
Staff
Organizing
Various Types of Groups
Organizing
a New Business (whether for-profit or nonprofit)
Guidelines
to Reorganize a Current Organization
Leading
Leading
Other Individuals
Leading
Groups
Leading
Organizations
Coordinating Activities and Resources (including performance management)
Ethics
Management Systems
Finances
(For-Profit) or
Finances
(Nonprofit)
Fundraising
(For-Profit) or
Fundraising
(Nonprofit)
Employee
Performance Management
Group
Performance Management
Organizational
Change Management
Organizational
Performance Management
Policies
and Procedures
Product/Service
Management
Program
Management
Marketing
and Promotions and Public and Media Relations
Systems
Thinking
Special Topics
CEO Development
Leadership
Development Planning
Management
Development
10
Key Challenges for CEOs
Seven Surprises for New CEOs
Evaluating the CEO (Typically Referred to as "Executive Director" if Nonprofits)
Guidelines
for Evaluating the Chief Executive
Sample
Form to Use During Evaluation of Chief Executive
Sample
of a Board's Supervisory Skills Development Plan for CEO
The Dreaded E.D. Evaluation!
How
Can I Get My Board to Evaluate Me?
Founder's
Syndrome (when the top executive is a poor manager)
Time for the CEO or Executive Director's Annual
Performance Review by the Board
Firing the Executive Director
Transitioning to New CEO (including use of contracts)
Hiring
/ Transitioning to a New Chief Executive
Succession Planning
Contracts for Nonprofit Executives
CEO
Contracts
Meatloaf
or Tartare?
Eight Toughest Transitions for Leaders
Learning's Place During CEO Transitions
Founder Transitions: Creating Good Endings and New Beginnings: A Guide for Executive Directors and Boards
Also see
Succession
Planning
Other Miscellaneous Topics
Founder's
Syndrome (when the top executive is ineffective manager)
CEO Education, CEO Turnover, and Firm Performance
The Branded Executive (branding of the CEO
role is important)
Today's CEOs: Guarding Against Value Destroyers
Trends and Developments in Executive Compensation
Results of New Daring to Lead Study on Nonprofit Leadership – What a Board Should Know
Nine Keys for Reinvigorating Board Leadership
Executive Remuneration – A View from the UK
For the Category of Leadership:
To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may
want to review some related topics, available from the link below.
Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.
Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been
selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.
Related Library Topics
Recommended Books
There is an explosion of books about leadership. Some are about broad and general philosophies, paradigms, visions and values. Others are about more specific models and theories. Still, others are about even more specific tips and tools. Bibliographies of books on leadership span numerous pages. The books mentioned on these pages are a reasonable beginning. They are focused on books with both foundational principles and practical tips and tools.
Note that, although many perspectives on leadership are about leading other individuals and groups, there are other domains of leadership, including leading oneself and organizations. The books referenced from this page are in regard to all domains of leadership.
Leading For-Profits and Nonprofits
There is much more in common between leading a for-profit and nonprofit than many people might realize. Small nonprofits are a lot more like small for-profits, than large nonprofits. Similarly, large nonprofits are a lot more like large for-profits, than small nonprofits. Nonprofits often include leading volunteers. A section, later on below, provides more books about leading specifically in nonprofits.
-
Field Guide to Leadership and Supervision in Business
- by Carter McNamara, published by Authenticity Consulting, LLC.
Includes step-by-step guidelines, tips and tools to effectively lead:
1. Yourself
2. Other individuals in the business
3. Groups and teams in the business
4. Business organizations
5. As well as all functions within the business organization.
Many of the Library's materials about business, leadership and management are adapted from this book. Just click on the title of the book above to see the Index and Table of Contents.
Leading Nonprofits
The following books are recommended because of their highly practical nature and often because they include a wide range of information about this Library topic. To get more information about each book, just click on the image of the book. Also, a "bubble" of information might be displayed. You can click on the title of the book in that bubble to get more information, too.
-
Field Guide to Leadership and Supervision With Nonprofit Staff
- by Carter McNamara, published by Authenticity Consulting, LLC.
Includes step-by-step guidelines, tips and tools customized for personnel in nonprofits to effectively lead:
1. Yourself
2. Other individuals in the nonprofit
3. Groups and teams in the nonprofit
4. Nonprofit organizations
5. As well as all functions within the nonprofit organization.
Many of the Library's materials about nonprofit leadership and management are adapted from this book. Just click on the title of the book above to see the Index and Table of Contents.
