Greg Stevenson explains why the best number twos rarely become CEO: they've spent years executing someone else's vision. Boards want leaders who set the agenda and own the failures. The jump to the top requires a shift in identity, not just more skill.
Here is why the strongest number 2 so often gets passed over for CEO. It's not ability. They spent years being brilliant at delivering someone else's agenda. The board is not looking for the best deliverer. It is looking for someone who can set the agenda and carry the weight when it goes wrong. The step to number 1 is more— is not more competence. It is a different identity. Are you still thinking like a number 2? Follow this channel for more on the interior game of leadership.
