Do You Have “CEO Syndrome”?

We get to work with many brilliant and fabulous CEOs here at Puris Image.  Many CEOs work with us because they want to stand out and be even more memorable with their staff, colleagues and competitors.

Successful CEOs are truly dynamic people.  They are big picture thinkers who have extraordinary vision and follow-through.   However, over the years I’ve noticed a few common ways of being among CEOs that tend to adversely impact their personal brands if not kept in check. I call this “CEO Syndrome”.  Even if you are not a CEO, stop and think if you have CEO Syndrome.   If so, it could be negatively impacting your personal brand, too.

Often times, CEOs think so fast that they have moved on to the next ten items on the list/in their head before their subordinates have even had time to process the thought, much less understand it and note the action item to implement it.  The result is that in meetings or one-on-one CEOs may get impatient and upset with their staff who just can’t keep up.

Do you think and process faster than your colleagues and staff?  If so, are you patient and kind about understanding that we don’t all think and work at the same pace and that it doesn’t mean we are any less bright than you?

Another issue with many CEOs is their lack of love of people.  By the time they rise to CEO level, many people have been “in business” for many years.  Thus, they have dealt with more situations and human resource issues than the average person will ever encounter.  Add to this the fact that people always want something from the boss.  The result is that many CEOs are burned out of human interaction and have lost their drive to network and meet new people.  This means they don’t show up to places and when they do they may come across as a snob or untouchable.   This is a big personal brand killer.

As the boss/CEO, people want to be in your presence and get to know you and learn from you. They likely don’t rationally expect a one-hour personal chat, but they do expect some form of acknowledgment and interaction from you.

Are you tired of people and interacting with people? Have you lost your drive to get to know new people? If so, stop and consider that the one thing that a successful business owner/CEO has is the ability to connect with people and relate to numerous people.  Think of it as being a Hollywood star.

One of our CEO clients said it best, “So the more centered, calm and interactive I am, the more I come across as a good leader who is in charge and control of a successful business to my employees.”    Yes, that is exactly what a high impact personal brand is.