Lessons from the Top: What I Learned in My First Year as a Chief Executive

There are two ways to learn from mistakes in life. You can make them yourselves and suffer the consequences, or you can learn from the experience of others and leverage that to your advantage. This could not be more relevant than when we talk about operating as a CEO. 

The CEO of any organisation find themselves in a really complicated position where they are ultimately responsible for everything that happens, but they must rely on their team to implement things on the ground. They must be able to strike that balance between championing a clear vision from the top on what the company is about, while delegating and empowering the work effectively so that the business can run without them being a bottleneck. 

This balance is not an easy thing to get right. And many people who step up from a director position into the role of a CEO, struggle to make that transition. There are no handbooks or guides that can save you. It requires a careful combination of skill, understanding, empathy, determination, and the right attitude – to truly make a mark.  What got you here, is not going to get you there, unfortunately. 

But with the right attitude and the willingness to learn from the right people, you can make the most of that first year and deliver on all the expectations placed on you.  It’s not going to be easy, but when you get it right – it could just be the most fulfilling work of your life.   

When you step into the CEO role for the first time, you have an opportunity to craft a new vision, purpose, and way of working for your organisation. You can take it to the next level in an inclusive, thoughtful, and stakeholder-centric way. We need more great leaders, and you can be one! 

Here at Connex, we are passionate about helping leaders of all kinds maximise their potential and move their organisations towards their unlimited potential.  That’s why we are hosting a roundtable discussion focused on unpacking some lessons learned from the first year as a chief executive. 

In this virtual event, we’ll hear from a panel of CEOs from various industries who are going to open the curtain and show you behind the scenes of their first year in the role.  They’ll talk through the good, the bad, and the ugly – so that you don’t have to repeat those same mistakes. 

The speakers are as follows: 

  • David Montague FCCA FRICS CBE – Former CEO, L&Q Group.
  • Sheron Carter – Former CEO, Habinteg Housing Association.
  • David Grevemberg – Former CEO, Commonwealth Games Forum.
  • Paul Cooper – Head of Homelessness, London Borough of Newham. 

All of these distinguished guests have deep expertise in the world of leadership, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring them to you.

If you join us on the 17th of June from 2pm, you’ll get a chance to immerse yourself in stories from the trenches. And you can ask whatever questions you might have about the first year in a CEO position. 

We know it’s going to be a fantastic discussion, and we really hope that you’ll join us! 

You can register for the event here.