In a big business, different components or divisions seek more resources from the corporate leadership for product development, marketing, modernizing manufacturing facilities, research, cyber security, and myriad other purposes. The elbows inside the organization can be very sharp. The CEO must decide how to allocate the company’s available resources based on her judgment of what will best advance her strategy and benefit the company and its shareholders. As a corporate director, I have observed multiple business chiefs do just that, and I have seen the behind-the-scenes competition among the heads of company components to get a bigger share of the pie. The CEO’s advantage over the public sector leader is that her decisions are final—unless the board chooses to fire her. The resources available to the leader of a public bureaucracy, in contrast, depend on the whims of elected councils, legislatures, mayors, governors, and presidents. They are subject to a broad array of pressure groups and stakeholders described earlier.
What do You think about A Passion For Leadership (2016)?
