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In a room full of smart people Trevor is one of the smartest people in the room. He is focused, articulate, and a guy who “gets things done.” Results is Trevor’s middle name. He presents himself well --- dressing with attention to detail and an unfailing understanding for which fork to use when at a business dinner. Those who meet Trevor for the first time are favorably impressed and often describe him as likeable. 

Imagine how surprised Trevor and his boss were to receive the following feedback, concerning Trevor, in an outside consulting group report. 

In Trevor’s eyes his employees can do nothing right. His thorough and hyper-critical analysis of work product has created a “risk-averse” work climate. He is masterful at managing up. He is perceived as arrogant. Some valuable team members have already left. Many others are trying hard to “escape” his reporting group. To his boss [the company president] and his peer group he is the picture of an able executive. To Trevor’s reporting group he is the manager from hell. 

You may well be asking yourself: “How could there be such a disconnect?”  It is as if his boss knows one Trevor and Trevor’s employees know someone entirely different. The explanation is relatively simple. Trevor and his boss have CEO Disease. The term was coined some ten years ago but is as applicable in today’s corporate environment as if it had been coined minutes ago.

CEO Disease is based on the premise that the higher up in an organization leaders go, the less accurate [lower] their self-assessments are likely to be. Fundamentally, this is due to a lack of candid feedback --- other people are reluctant to tell them about their failure-producing behaviors. Even so, the disease is almost always self-inflicted. By self-inflicted I mean the boss always creates the environment in which CEO Disease thrives. It may be that their direct reports have seen too many messenger’s shot; or, it may be as subtle as a look or frown that is followed by precise and covert retribution. Either way, direct reports have learned through experience, not to bring the boss bad news if it can be avoided. The price of candor is simply too high.  

While it is true that the higher any leader is in the organization, the more likely they are to be infected with the disease, any leader, at any level can catch the ailment! The question for all leaders is: “How do I avoid infection; or, if already infected, how do I recover?”  The prevention and the cure are the same. Over time, the leader must create an environment in which direct reports feel safe when bringing the boss bad news. Employees will only believe it is safe when they experience it, so don’t bother telling them it is safe. You will have to prove it is safe through your behavior.

Be sure to watch for Part II of When Higher Means Lower. In part II, we will explore strategies for immunizing yourself, and leaders at every level, against CEO Disease. 

For more information about Ken Chapman and Associates’ Leadership Development Programs, contact Ken Chapman at 205.366.0265 or email Ken at kchapman@leaderscode.com.

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