The harsh reality of employing the C-Suite

Strategy and Leadership as Service is a new way of living and working for businesses and their C-suite

From my research, I see that globally there are thousands, if not millions, of business owners and CEOs struggling to find the right set of skills in their top team to stay on top of the demands of our changing world.

Coupled with this, I meet experienced C-suite executives on the corporate treadmill, going through the motions, not enjoying life, and wondering why they do it.

Both groups of leaders are grappling with the same or similar issues. They don't know it, but they can solve their problems with a new business model: Strategy and Leadership as Service.

It’s time to share this best kept secret.

It provides a perspective which disrupts and challenges today's traditional full-time employment model, which, I contend, is outdated and unfit for purpose. After all, the C-suite construct hasn’t been revisited since the 1980s. We need a rethink.

Let me explain.

No. 1 Entrepreneurial, and growing businesses, don't want, don't need, and can't afford a full-time C-suite professional.

That’s a fact. It’s just not an option for SMEs, who don’t have the funds to splash out on these top-notch executives – but they do need their skills. This is compounded by the top talent they want to attract not being interested or fulfilled working in these smaller organisations full-time. So how can this be squared off?

No. 2 At the other end of the spectrum in larger organisations, running these businesses is complex.

They are grappling with change upon change, heaps of uncertainty, and increased shareholder demands to stay ahead. Attracting and then committing to a fixed top team and expecting them to have all the answers, all the time, is unrealistic. Corporates are looking for superhumans and are forced to buy-in additional skills to complement and support their boards, which increasingly don’t know what they don’t know.

No. 3 In parallel, and probably most importantly, C-suite professionals who are working in these corporate roles are fed up.

They work long hours, there’s always another crisis on the horizon, their personal life and relationships suffer – they can only do this for so long. Many are searching for more purpose and meaning in and at work, with freedom, flexibility, variety, and control at the top of their list. They are overworked and disillusioned with the unrealistic demands of their corporate roles, and they want to escape. Covid then came along and interrupted our usual way of working to allow us time to reflect, consider what we really want, and look for alternatives – but what are the options?

We need a new way of working.

If you want to learn more, have a read of "Strategy and Leadership as Service” which you can find out more about here.