This presentation outlines the job of a growth-oriented CEO. The principles presented set the right mindset for the CEO at every stage of evolution but must be adjusted by the practical realities along the way.

There is often some confusion about whether the role of the CEO is to execute the functions of the business or to develop leaders who reliably and systematically perform the functions of the business.

While the CEO of a growing concern is most effective when primarily focused on the latter, to some extent the job is defined by the stage of evolution. The CEO of a start-up might need to be more hands-on than the CEO of a mature company. Take selling, for example; the CEO may need to be the primary salesman because no one else is yet able to fill these shoes.

Even so, the growth-oriented CEO is always trying to put himself/herself out a job by recruiting top people and developing them to take responsibility for what they would otherwise have to do.