The CEO Test: Master the Challenges That Make or Break All Leaders, reviewed

We look at this new book by Adam Bryant and Kevin Sharer, available from Harvard Business Review, and also from Amazon here. 

The CEO Test reviewed

Many think they want to lead, some get to do so, many of these make a real mess of it, and a fewer number do it well, both for the sanity of their employees, the benefit of the company, and, hopefully the world too. Do you have what it takes to be one of that small minority who can pull it off and achieve great things?

This book aims to take a deep dive into the challenges faced, with pointers and tips in terms of what good looks like, and pitfalls to avoid. It is relatively short, 160 pages approx, but is concisely and clearly written, with some good insights and advice for the reader. It is also cognisant of the ways that the world has changed over the last 12 months, so it offers relevant and applicable insights going forwards for current and future CEOs.

Both authors have good experience in this sector, so it is a smart idea that they combined to write this book. There are good case studies and examples from their own experiences, which does help to ensure that their comments are valid and drawn from real world experiences. It is a good read and also a smart and logical one if you are anywhere near the boardroom and either, or about to become, a CEO of a company. It is slightly crazy how often the same mistakes get made, so picking up this book does at least give you a fighting chance to perhaps not make avoidable errors in your own leadership career.

Book blurb 

Are you ready to lead? Will you pass the test?

Despite all the effort through the years to understand what it takes to be an effective leader, the challenges of leadership remain enormously difficult and elusive; even today, most CEOs don’t last five years in the job. The demands to deliver at a consistently high level can be unforgiving.

The loneliness. The weight of responsibility. The relentless second-guessing and criticism. The pressure to build all-star teams. The 24/7 schedule that requires superhuman stamina. The tough decisions that often leave no one happy. The expectation to always have the right answer when it can be hard just to know the right question.

These challenges are brought into their highest and sharpest relief in the corner office, but they are hardly unique to chief executives. All leaders face their own version of these tests, and the authors draw on the distilled wisdom, stories, and lessons from hundreds of chief executives to show how every aspiring leader can master these challenges and lead like a CEO. These foundational leadership skills will make all aspiring executives more effective in their roles today and lift the trajectory of their careers.

"One of the confounding features of the leadership field is that anyone can say almost anything about leadership and they likely will be right at some level. In fact, very little that is written about leadership is wrong. But here’…https://t.co/acPlEirJ2X https://t.co/ZVlEDvbOpX

— Adam Bryant (@AdamBBryant) January 27, 2021

The CEO Test is the authoritative, no-nonsense insider’s guide to navigating leadership’s toughest challenges, brought to you by authors uniquely qualified to tell the stories. Adam Bryant has conducted in-depth interviews with more than 600 CEOs. Kevin Sharer spent more than two decades as president and then CEO of Amgen, where he led its expansion from $1 billion in annual revenues to nearly $16 billion. He has served on many boards and is a sought-after mentor for CEOs of global companies.

Leadership is getting harder as the speed of disruption across all industries accelerates. The CEO Test will better prepare you to succeed, whether you’re a CEO or just setting out to become one.

Prof Kevin Sharer says that moral authority is necessary to be an impactful leader #HBSLeadership https://t.co/Kw6VAJae6L

— Harvard Business (@HarvardHBS) April 29, 2017

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