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Managing The Future
The People Pleaser CEO
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The People Pleaser CEO

Joel Trammell's avatar
Joel Trammell
May 17, 2024
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Managing The Future
Managing The Future
The People Pleaser CEO
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People-pleasing isn’t a trait we usually associate with CEOs. Aren’t they all uncompromising visionaries?

Of course that’s a misconception. Just like the rest of us, CEOs wrestle with the human impulse to make other people happy—even when it’s at odds with long-term organizational health, or simply what the CEO knows is right.

It’s so easy in the moment, to keep that exec on board even though they’re not delivering. To cast an overly rosy glow on the quarterly results. To make a commitment you know you can’t keep.

Unfortunately, the People Pleaser CEO is a disaster for the organization. Why?

  • They can’t make tough decisions. Most decisions a CEO is called to make have downsides. Because the People Pleaser CEO wants approval, they’ll defer the decision as long as possible and then make the call they think most people will be happy with.

  • They let issues fester. The People Pleaser CEO prioritizes their own short-term comfort over shining a light on developing issues. Inevitably, the neglected …

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