Recently, I had the opportunity to read The CEO Next Door (2018) by Elena L. Botelho, Kim R. Powell, and Tahl Raz. This insightful book takes a deep dive into what I consider the DNA of successful CEOs, drawn from a decade of research into thousands of leaders. The authors unpack common misconceptions and reveal – in their professional opinion – what truly drives success at the top of any organization. As part of the narrative, what spoke to me was how the authors outline what they see as the four primary archetypes of any CEO, which I feel can apply to any CXO-level leader. And the relative concentration of each that a leader possesses translates into their unique leadership approach. The Four Archetypes of a CEO (in my interpretation of them) essentially are as follows:
- The Visionary (“i.e., The Sky’s the Limit”)
This big-picture thinker dreams up new markets, innovative products, and bold directions. Visionaries inspire people to rally behind transformative ideas and see potential where others see roadblocks. - The Optimizer (“i.e., The Lean Mean Operational Machine”)
These leaders take something already functioning and make it hum like a well-oiled machine. Optimizers find inefficiencies, smooth over redundancies, and elevate operational performance to new heights. - The Fixer (“i.e., The ER Surgeon”)
As someone who thrives in chaos, these leaders walk into challenging situations—organizational crises, troubled teams, or failing initiatives—and stabilize them. Fixers are driven by the adrenaline of turning things around. - The Safe Pair of Hands
Steady, reliable, and trustworthy, this archetype excels at guiding an organization with consistency. Safe Pair of Hands leaders maintain stability and build enduring foundations.
Ho Do I Rate Myself?
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve challenged myself to be more reflective and – equally, if not more important – honest with who I am and where my strengths and weaknesses lie. Thus, when I look at these 4 DNA ingredients, I would currently rate my mix to be the following: 45% Fixer, 35% Optimizer, 15% Visionary, 5% Safe Pair of Hands. Good or bad, career illuminating or career limiting, that to me is an honest reflection in the mirror.
Why “The Fixer” and “The Optimizer” Speak to Me
As I reflect on my journey leading a private boutique IT services firm and a three-decades-long career as a technologist and consultant, I can’t help but resonate strongly with the Fixer and Optimizer archetypes. These two roles have shaped my professional identity and underlie the value I aim to deliver to clients and my team.
The Fixer in Me:
If there’s one constant in IT, it’s that software breaks – or at least doesn’t work as advertised – when the salespeople leave, and the “rubber meets the road” (i.e., making the software actually work) comes into play. This involves aspects of not only technology but also people and process changes that need to be aligned. I’ve always enjoyed stepping into complex or chaotic environments, whether it’s a failing system implementation or a stalled digital transformation project. There’s something deeply rewarding about tackling the proverbial ‘mess’: identifying and collaborating with key players who can make the magic happen and turning a struggling initiative into a success story. In many ways, being a Fixer means running towards a fire and finding solutions where others might see the only option as running from the building. The bottom line in my 30 years is that there is always a way to make it work. It may not look like it at first, but the path to success is there – in the heap of emotions, lines of code, documentation, and people – waiting to be found.
The Optimizer in Me:
Once a primary challenge is resolved, I’ve found that my instincts don’t stop there. I’m driven to take processes, tools, and technologies and refine them – scaling their impact and creating operational efficiencies. Optimization, to me, is about unlocking hidden efficiency, or hidden potential, to simply do something better.
In the IT world, this combination of fixing and optimizing has proven to be a relatively valuable service for clients. The trick is that clients and prospects don’t commonly want to readily ‘air their dirty laundry,’ which makes finding this type of business a little more difficult at times. But the reality is that organizations are constantly adapting to new technologies, market demands, and customer expectations. Thus, being equipped with a professional DNA weighted towards being a Fixer and an Optimizer has allowed me to bridge the gap between immediate problem-solving and long-term innovation with the clients whom I serve.
How Do You Rate Yourself?
For anyone evaluating their own leadership journey – regardless of level – and taking stock of their own skills, I highly recommend this book, in print or the Audible spoken work. Whether you see yourself as a Visionary, Fixer, Optimizer, or Safe Pair of Hands, The CEO Next Door provides actionable insights to elevate your leadership skills—and maybe even help you better understand your own archetype.