It’s part of my mission every day to address this topic via this blog, my upcoming book, my company Khorus, and in many other ways. It is also the title of my proposed session at SXSW Las Vegas, which is summarized below. Voting for which sessions will be held during the conference ends tomorrow, May 9, so please consider voting for mine here: 

http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/28398 (quick registration required)

And if you have questions for me, specific topics you’d like me to address, or advice about why CEOs suck and how they can suck less, please let me know!

Why CEOs Suck and How to Suck Less

The CEO job is the most important but least prepared for role in business. People get there in different ways: They may have been a superstar in marketing, sales, engineering or whatever business function they came from. Or they may have just had a great idea and started a company. Regardless, few are ready for the unique responsibilities, challenges, and stresses of the role. As a result, most chief executives simply do not know what to do and react in ways that are negative for the organization and themselves: They end up paralyzed by fear and indecision, or wallowing in tactical issues, or taking a hands-off approach after they’ve pronounced some grand strategy.  This is alarming in a country where the majority of CEOs are new to the role. The bottom line: Most CEOs suck. But there are ways to suck less.

This presentation will address:

• What are the top three challenges facing CEOs?
• What are the top five responsibilities of a CEO?
• What is the one question every CEO needs to answer?
• How can I ensure that employees are aligned on our strategy and executing against it?
• How can I better prepare for the CEO position?