I’ve been a C-suite executive, and I’ve worked with executives (incl. CEOs) at public companies.
Not only is there often a thermocline of truth that stops “bad” information going up the chain, CEOs more often than not make decisions based on nothing but their own opinions, and they will more than happily discard any information that doesn’t already fit that opinion, and even if negative things do manage to reach them from the other side of the thermocline, they often discount it or explain it away
Interesting, my experience has been quite different but then it has been more with executives of relatively small (<500) and private companies. I’ve also seen some cases of companies closer to dictatorships, but they have (at least from my external perspective) seemed like dictators with at least clear visions. A small minority have been loudmouthed assholes.
Have you worked with very many CEOs at SMEs? Based on my experience it seems to match the description, by and large.
I’ve been a C-suite executive, and I’ve worked with executives (incl. CEOs) at public companies.
Not only is there often a thermocline of truth that stops “bad” information going up the chain, CEOs more often than not make decisions based on nothing but their own opinions, and they will more than happily discard any information that doesn’t already fit that opinion, and even if negative things do manage to reach them from the other side of the thermocline, they often discount it or explain it away
Interesting, my experience has been quite different but then it has been more with executives of relatively small (<500) and private companies. I’ve also seen some cases of companies closer to dictatorships, but they have (at least from my external perspective) seemed like dictators with at least clear visions. A small minority have been loudmouthed assholes.