So You Want to be a CEO.

byMishiFoster

153 followers

Updated 4 years ago

I walked away from a position as a CEO at an up and coming Non-Profit for Veterans

I did. And I am darn proud of it.

Why, you may ask, would anyone walk away from a prestigious title and all the fanfare and stuff that goes with it?

Easy.

Success cannot be measured in titles. Success can only be measured in movement. The organization that I so loved and fought for remained stagnant no matter what I tried to put in place to stimulate growth. Sometimes the best way to move forward is to move aside. I did so with my head held high and wings on my feet. I learned valuable lessons about business in my very short stint as CEO.

1. Running a business requires a lot of finesse and tact. If all members on a board cannot agree what this means, it is doomed. Have clear expectations and by-laws from the beginning. Carve out your roles and make sure everyone understands and sticks to those roles.

2. Running a business is something you have to be passionate about. You are going to lose precious moments with your family. You are going to lose sleep. Your schedule isn't ever going to be a leisurely 9 to 5. If you aren't that level of dedicated to the mission, you are going to be miserable.

3. There is no room for egos at the top. You should look at a business as its own entity with complex relationship issues. The one thing I found was that the founder couldn't seperate himself from the business. I get it. However, change is also necessary when it is for the benefit of a business and sometimes that means making hard choices about someone's pet project.

4. Running a business is not for the meek. You have to be bold. You have to be decisive. You have to be the public face of something that is much bigger than you. It can be intimidating! If you aren't willing to be "ready for action" at a moment's notice, trust me, you'll be happier in a support position.

5. Being in the public eye means watching every word, every gesture, every stupid thing that you take for granted. Especially with a non-profit with the political turmoil buzzing around the country, I could not speak a word for or against any action of any organization no matter how much I agreed or disagreed. Remaining totally neutral is HARD, especially when one's silence could be interpreted as being complacent. I've learned this mantra: "I cannot comment at this time as my comments could not possibly reflect the views of my company or our many volunteers." It's been a little brutal out there but this phrase has saved me a few times.

I feel that my experience as a CEO taught me that it's something I am really good at. I have that personality and the tenacity. I have the tact and the diplomacy. And so I'm proudly announcing that I'm forming my own non-profit to continue the mission in a more focused manner...and you can bet I will avoid all the pitfalls.

It's not a failure, it's an opportunity