Understanding the CEO Lifecycle: The CHRO’s Critical Role

Claudius Hildebrand and Robert Stark, authors and Spencer Stuart consultants, joined HRPA’s Rich Floersch for a webinar discussion of groundbreaking research on CEO performance and the CHRO’s vital role in company success. 

What they’re saying: For their new book, The Lifecycle of a CEO, Hildebrand and Stark studied the performance of over 2,000 S&P 500 CEOs. 

• They identified the five stages of the CEO lifecycle: launch, calibration, reinvention, complacency trap, and legacy.  

• Unlike the typical media presentation of CEOs as either hero or villain, the authors described the nuance in what they called “the messy middle.”

Why it matters: Highlighting the demise of the “great man theory,” the authors asserted that the CEO job is difficult and widely misunderstood, noting: Leadership has become a team sport.

The CHRO’s role: Central to the discussion were the various roles CHROs play in CEO success:

• Leading the key executives in creating an onboarding plan and ensuring approval by the Board Chair.

• Laying the groundwork to remold the executive team when a legacy CEO leaves.

• Guiding the new CEO to invest in building strong relationships with specific board members to build trust.

• Acting as a trusted advisor, thought partner, and mental coach to help the CEO navigate the lifecycle stages that lie ahead.

Go deeper: Members can view the webinar replay here.  If you are interested in more insights on the CEO lifecycle and succession planning, The Lifecycle of a CEO: The Myths & Truths of How Leaders Succeed, is now available.