What You Didn’t Know About Being a CEO October 19, 2017
The chief executive officer, more commonly known as a CEO, for a company is a position that has been glamorized in the media and popular culture. When we think of CEOs, we tend to think of celebrities with a lot of power like Mark Zuckerberg or figures like Steve Jobs who introduced us to exciting new products at huge tech conferences to thunderous applause. However, not everything about being a CEO is glamorous. In fact, for most companies, being a CEO has nothing to do with glamour or fame in any capacity. If you wish to get ahead in the business world and achieve such a position, this is something you should be well aware of. Below are some things you may not have not known about being a CEO.
A Lot of CEOs Work More than 40 Hours a Week If you are comfortable with only working 40 hours a week, being a CEO may not be for you. According to a survey reported on by TIME, the mean among 256 respondents showed that they worked 58.15 hours a week. This works out to about a ten or eleven hour workday. A good deal of respondents also worked more than this. If you prioritize your free time, you should be aware that you’ll have much less of it as a CEO.
There’s More Work Involved Than You Think When people are asked about what CEOs do during the day, many may answer that they spend their time at meetings. While CEOs will certainly attend a plethora of meetings during
their careers, there’s actually a lot more work required than just that. There are many tasks a CEO will have to complete during the day because there are many responsibilities a CEO has to attend to. Such responsibilities include strategizing and plotting the course forward for the direction of the company. It also includes allocating capital to allow the company to attend to its priorities and managing a senior team of executives that run every aspect of the business. This requires a lot of work on a daily basis.
Being a CEO Can Be Extremely Stressful
Another way that CEOs are perhaps inaccurately portrayed by the media is in regards to the level of stress they encounter every single day. While figures like Elon Musk or Tim Cook are often portrayed as always being completely relaxed and in total control, being a CEO in most cases is extremely stressful. The reason why is easy to understand. Being a CEO is similar to being the president of a nation or a general overseeing a war strategy. The failure of that company’s business strategies and stewardship of its brands will be blamed squarely on the CEO. There is no passing the buck. You are in charge, and employees, shareholders, business partners and customers all depend on you to lead the company to success. Being a CEO is not easy by any stretch. It’s a taxing job that requires working endless hours and taking on a mountain of responsibility. However, every successful corporation needs a quality leader in the form of well disciplined CEO with a strong vision for success. Just be aware that achieving that success is not without sacrifice even for the CEO. Article by Josh Gruss — CEO of Roundhill music.