CEO Job Description

Are you wondering what exactly you should be doing as a CEO?  What should be going right that's not going right? 

Perhaps your firm is growing, and you started out as the owner doing everything that needed to be done.  But now, as you scale, you have that nagging feeling that there are things that are NOT in the CEO Job Description that you ARE STILL doing?

Maybe, as you work tirelessly in your business doing all sorts of things, you have that nagging feeling that there is strategic work or work "on the business" as opposed to "in the business" that you should be doing, but are not?

Down below is an "official" CEO Job Description.  I found this listing called “CEO Standards of Performance” and it was useful. I posted it on my wall for many years and referenced it often. Then it went into my “ Book of Leadership Wisdom” binder, where I’ve referenced it now.

You might find it useful.  Or you might not.  Its one thing knowing what you SHOULD be doing at an abstract level.  Its another thing to figure out how to find a way to actually do it, and do it right.

If the list below is what you were looking for, fantastic.  Job done.  But if your situation is unique, or you feel frustrated or stuck, then call me.  Being a CEO is one of the most difficult, challenging things I've done, and easy answers are hard to find in print.

CEO Job Description

This 30 year old list has none of the business buzzwords we all use today, but the words are plain, clear, and crisp.

1. Planning: Overall company strategy, Strategic Plan, Operational Plan
2. Organization: Organization chart; Job descriptions, Authority levels
3. Management recruitment and development: Succession planning, in-house training, outside training, promotion from within, human resource plan, new positions, active recruiting
4. Policy: Corporate policies, new policies, management input, review
5. Standards of performance and performance reviews: Standards of performance, performance reviews, performance improvement plans
6. Controls: Monthly reports, quarterly reviews, supplemental action programs
7. Management morale: Involvement in planning, salary discussions, access to CEO, management turnover
8. Product development: Overall strategy, quarterly priority meetings, status reports, new products, development expense
9. Community relations: public relations, community participation
10. Profitability and growth: Profit objectives, results compared to industry, sales objectives, dependency on single product/customer, market share, profitability by product line
11. Relationship with board of directors: Communications, Reports by executive managers, Board complaints, CEO job description and standards.