CEO Superpowers
Who are the best CEOs?
Tempting to just name the famous ones. But it's a hard question to answer because you have to define "the best at what?" There are a lot of different kinds of CEOs in the world. It's interesting to think about the archetypes. Here's my take on the best of the best in each category:
The Product Genius
I suspect this is the type that jumps to mind first for most people. I mean, can't we just declare Steve Jobs as the best CEO and move on with our lives? I think it’s fair to say he's the iconic example of this category. Though this type of CEO has a lot of characteristics many don't realize. Not many big companies are built around the genius of one human. It is so easy to build a narrative around these CEOs they tend to be idolized and imitated. But often with disastrous results. Why? Because the success of the company is built around the genius of one human. Geniuses tend to be disagreeable because they see the contrarian truths. Geniuses tend to have low empathy because they don't understand non-genius. Geniuses tend to micromanage because, for them, it’s easier to be right than to convince everyone they're right.
🥇 And the Oscar goes to: Steve Jobs. Sorry, I might've foreshadowed that one. But how do you not pick the guy who invented multiple products that have transformed entire industries (Mac and the PC industry, iPod/iTunes and the music industry, iPhone and the everything industry). But lets not forget that he was a famously difficult person to work for. I doubt it was fun. To all the Steve Jobs era Apple employees: thank you for your service.
🥈 Honorable mentions: Elon Musk (mainstream electric cars, reusable rockets), Evan Spiegel (ephemeral chat, lenses, stories)
The Strategist
As it turns out, you don't have to be a product genius to be a successful CEO! The strategist is an archetype that knows how to skate to where the puck is going. They may not know exactly what to build but they deeply understand macro trends, the competitive environment, and the strengths of their own company. They're the type of CEO that would so be a great investor because their fundamental skill is being an excellent capital allocator. Fortunately, investing is a big part of the CEO job. They have the context and conviction to focus the efforts of their company on the right things. They're also great at M&A because their intuition leads them towards value creation rather than power accumulation.
🥇 And the Oscar goes to: Mark Zuckerberg. Love him or hate him, you can't deny that he has consistently been right on critical strategic (and often unpopular) decisions for Facebook. He pivoted the company to mobile. He had the conviction to pay double the nearest bidder for Instagram. He fended off Snap by daring to steal. Fine, I know you hate him - but please respect his game.
🥈 Honorable mentions: Bob Iger (Pixar, Marvel, Lucas, pivot to Disney+), Satya Nadella (pivot to cloud, LinkedIn, Github)
The Coach
Peter Drucker famously said “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”. For these CEOs, their strength is building culture and great teams that live by that culture. The cultures they define last for generations and are emulated throughout the industry. They tend to be great bosses because they're looking for great employees to empower. They build amazing teams that stick with the company for many years.
🥇 And the Oscar goes to: Jeff Bezos. It is simply astounding that a company worth $1.5T and employs nearly 1M employees can continue to avoid the curse of success. I've never seen a company that has taken its leadership principles more seriously or has had those principles replicated more widely. Not to mention: Jeff's direct reports have an average tenure of SIXTEEN years. What.
🥈 Honorable mentions: Reed Hastings (Freedom & Responsibility), Jack Welch (The GE Way)
The Missionary
Most CEOs believe their jobs are to maximize shareholder value. A few are here to change the world. This can be very powerful because money isn't all that matters. They lead mission-driven companies. They'll make personal and financial sacrifices to pursue the greater good. You can feel it when they walk into a room. And when they speak or write, they inspire greatness. They might not build the most valuable company they possibly could but they make a dent in the universe and who doesn't want to be a part of that?
🥇 And the Oscar goes to: Jack Dorsey. He's known for taking every class of new hires on a walk to share his philosophy on life and work. He gave away 1/3 of his twitter equity to employees to revitalize the company. He gave another 28% of his wealth for COVID relief. And I know first hand that when he enters a room, you know it.
🥈 Honorable mentions: Stewart Butterfield (We Don't Sell Saddles Here, Dear Microsoft), Brian Chesky (Airbnb Disaster Relief)
In summary
Great CEOs come in different forms. And, of course, some of the best are masters in multiple categories. I would love to hear your thoughts on categories or nominees I might've missed in my post. Ping me on twitter.