CEO Role Definition

Gigi breaks down the role of a CEO in a 5-step cycle that is repeated constantly: 1. Defining a strategy — setting the vector (direction) for your company. 2. Recruiting the right team that is best positioned to execute the strategy. 3. Setting goals that steer your team in the right direction and then letting them “run”. 4. Assisting where needed when your team runs into challenges; or, where the goals show they are off course, setting them back on track. 5. Monitoring progress and periodically reassessing the two initial building blocks – your strategy and your team – to make sure they still make sense. And having the perseverance to adjust accordingly & begin the cycle again.

Brett shares his tips for what a CEO does (not just a founder): 1. Carry the Torch for Long-Term Vision 2. Embrace Vulnerability 3. Disseminate Culture from the Top 4. Constantly Learn & Self-Reflect 5. Recruiting Should Be a Top Priority (No, Really) 6. Create Alignment

Ali describes the high-level phases a CEO goes through: 1. Doer-in-chief: Get deeply involved in product and Go To Market, make sure the company gets to PMF. From 1 - 25 employees 2. Company-Builder-in-Chief: Delegate and lead an executive team 3. Invest in new lines of business: Starting at 500 headcount, figure out what happens next for the company, including investing in new product lines. What are the 3 tasks a CEO can't delegate in Phase 2? 1. Hiring a Leadership Team and Making Sure They Work Well Together 2. Creating Purpose and Alignment 3. Nurturing Company Culture

Gokul begins by quoting Ben Horowitz: “Perhaps the CEO’s most important operational responsibility is designing and implementing the communication architecture for her company.” A good communication architecture ensures information flows smoothly across the organization, employees understand the company's strategy and priorities, and problems are surfaced efficiently. He outlines several components of a communication architecture that a CEO must make choices around: Organizational Structure, decision frameworks, meeting norms, Retrospectives, 1-on-1s, all-hands Meetings, Performance Reviews, and planning processes. Gokul stresses that a CEO must regularly revisit these choices to ensure the communication architecture remains optimal as the company grows and evolves.

While a CEO can do more than these, Fred identifies 3 skills a CEO must do well: 1) Set the overall vision and strategy of the company, and communicate it to all stakeholders 2) Hire and retain the best talent 3) Make sure there is always enough cash in the bank