What it takes to become—and remain—an effective CEO
6/25/202611 min
Long before someone takes the corner office, they need to build the skills and rapport that will help them thrive once they move in. That CEO journey is the focus of this episode of The McKinsey Podcast with McKinsey Partner Blair Epstein, Senior Partner Carolyn Dewar, Partner Julia McClatchy, and Senior Partner Vik Malhotra. They share their collective insights with Roberta Fusaro, McKinsey editorial director, about how CEOs should prepare for the role, navigate those critical early days, sustain personal and organizational performance, and continue to evolve their leadership styles.
A CEO for All Seasons book: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-on-books/ceo-for-all-seasons
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First 90 secondsRoberta Fusaro· Host0:01
When a new CEO steps into the role, there's often intense focus on the first one hundred days, what they signal, what they change, and how they set direction. But what does it take to lead not just in those early moments, but over the long arc of a career? In this episode, you'll hear from four McKinsey leaders who will walk us through the CEO journey from preparing for the role to navigating those critical early days to sustaining performance and continuing to evolve over time. This is The McKinsey Podcast, where we help you make sense out of the world's toughest business challenges. I'm Roberta Fazzaro, your host for today. Let's start before day one, before the title, before the spotlight. What distinguishes leaders who actually make it to the CEO role? Here's McKinsey partner Blair Epstein.
Blair Epstein· Guest1:03
The people who end up in the CEO chair have done a few things really specifically. They've thought deeply about what's required for the CEO role, and then with ruthless objectivity, they've held up the mirror on their own readiness. And that takes real humility to be able to say, "I'm not perfect."
Roberta Fusaro· Host1:22
And that kind of self-awareness doesn't happen overnight.
Blair Epstein· Guest1:25
That then allows them to, over the course of years, not months, not weeks, to round out their profile