7 days ago
You Have Permission To Lead! Why New CEOs Must Stop Running For Office
Bill Koch—former CEO and seasoned advisor—coaches senior executives to be leaders worth following. More at
In my work with newly appointed CEOs, a common pattern emerges: They keep "running for office" long after they've already won the job.
Even after the board vote is unanimous, the press release goes out and the congratulations roll in, many first-time CEOs remain stuck in campaign mode: over-explaining their decisions, seeking consensus on every move and working overtime to prove they deserve the title. On the surface, this can look like humility or collaboration. But in my experience, more often, it's a deeper uncertainty, driven by ego and the need for validation.
This isn't a character flaw. It's a human reaction to an enormous shift in role and identity. Becoming CEO requires a fundamental recalibration—one that's not just operational or strategic, but personal.
From Proving To Leading
Most senior leaders rise through the ranks by excelling at performance, not presence. They succeed by delivering results, mastering complexity and demonstrating credibility in the room. But when they become CEO, the job changes. What got them here—proving their worth—can become the very thing that holds them back.
In the CEO seat, leadership becomes less about being the smartest person in the room and more about being the clearest. Because the board is no longer looking for proof; they're looking for poise. And the team isn't waiting for permission; they're waiting for vision.
This shift requires some internal work. New CEOs must move from earning the job to embodying the role.
Ego, Doubt And The Inner Work Of Leadership
One of the great paradoxes of the CEO transition is this: Ego often drives the need to prove oneself, but it's humility that unlocks real authority.
When I coach new CEOs, we often explore questions like:
• What am I trying to prove, and to whom?
• What would change if I assumed I already have the trust I'm chasing?
• How much of my energy is spent on being impressive, versus being effective?
The best leaders I've worked with have come to realize that confidence doesn't mean having all the answers. It means being secure enough to set direction even amid uncertainty—and to do so with conviction rather than defensiveness.
Sometimes, what they need most is simply to hear this: You have permission to lead.
Not to over-perform. Not to seek applause. But to truly lead. To take responsibility for the direction of the enterprise. To set the tone. To be the standard-bearer for culture, clarity and accountability. Because that's what the organization needs most—and what only they can do.
Stepping Fully Into The Role
When a new CEO stops "campaigning" and starts claiming the role, things begin to shift. The team feels it. The board notices it. And the leader begins to operate from a place of grounded authority.
Here's what they do differently:
• Spend less time on low-leverage activity and more on "CEO things"—the work no one else can or should be doing.
• Set clear priorities and let go of consensus as a requirement for action.
• Trust their judgment and invite dissent without being defensive.
• Show up with presence—not to impress, but to align and inspire.
That's the kind of leadership organizations crave, especially in times of complexity and change.
Final Thought
The CEO job is one of the most demanding and visible roles in business. But the most important transformation doesn't happen on the org chart or in the boardroom. It happens inside the leader.
So, to every new CEO who's still campaigning for a job they already have, here's my message: You don't need to prove it anymore. You have permission to lead.
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