CFOs and COOs aren't natural CEO successors. They operate "down and in" on operational details while CEOs need to be "up and out" thinking strategically. The tension between these two mindsets fuels great businesses, so they should be equals, not a hierarchy.
Most CFOs or COOs think that they're in line to be the CEO. We treat it as one and two, but it's incorrect. It's one and A. They are not the same skill set and they're not the same job because most CFOs and COOs, by the very nature of their job, have to be down and in. That is actually your job. And a good CEO is up and out. It's that balance of finite-minded and infinite-minded. That tension is very healthy. That magic, that tension makes for great businesses. I love partnership. One and A is what it should be. I want both. I don't want one or the other. I want both. And that's why I consider them equals, not one and two.
AI Won't Tell You the Full Truth | Arthur Brooks + Simon Sinek | A Bit of Optimism Podcast
How To Make the Best Decision | Arthur Brooks and Simon Sinek | A Bit of Optimism
