Thanksgiving Daily for CEOs

CEOs experience Thanksgiving daily. They operate in what Martin Smith referred to as a VUCA (pronounced voo-cha) environment: Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous. No matter what is on a CEO’s schedule, it may be derailed by internal or external issues, from an employee being hospitalized with a serious condition to a government decision with second, third-, and fourth-order impacts on the organization.

What I was Thankful for as a CEO

Even with that said, CEOs must find something daily to be thankful for to stay inspired. Some of the things I was thankful for:

1. Remaining in the position. I was thankful every day that I did not do something ignorant or that no one else committed an egregious error that might put my job in jeopardy.
2. Having a wonderful C-level staff. I likely did not tell any of my C-level personnel enough about how great they were, but having a tremendous C-level team makes the job in the field a little easier.
3. Having outstanding Regional Managers. Operating under VUCA conditions can occur at any leadership level, especially when you must contend with the tyranny of distance and in people-heavy environments. My Regional Managers led superbly.
4. Leading a dedicated field force. The dedication of the field operators was tremendous. Whether helping me inspect ICBMs (Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles) in Russia or recruiting for America’s Army along the East Coast, their mission focus kept our country safe. Even spending 15 months in Iraq providing extraordinary intelligence, these young and middle-aged professionals never let me down.
5. Having a very able support team. Whether my support team was family, friends, or colleagues, they were always there when I needed them the most.

The list above was the people I interacted with daily. Sometimes it is those closest to us that we forget to be thankful for. Amidst all the turmoil a CEO may endure in a day, a week, or a month, it will always be the people who ensure their success. Do not forget this Thanksgiving to remember why you can be thankful every day.

What are you thankful for this year?