How to be an AMAZING CEO, Accountability vs Responsibilities

CEOs come from all walks of life. Some start as amazing salespeople . Others come from engineering backgrounds. Some have even worked their way up from the warehouse floor over decades. But the truly great ones all share one common trait—they’re exceptional leaders.

Being a CEO isn’t about ticking off tasks on a to-do list; it’s about looking at the big picture.  It’s about stepping back from the daily grind and taking ultimate accountability, not responsibility, for the success (or failure) of your organization.

One of my clients was ready to make that shift.  He was an outstanding salesperson – responsible for 90% of the sales in his business . But, he was still knee-deep in sales calls and site visits when he needed to evolve into a real CEO. 

He had to stop being the thing he was best at to become the leader his company needed.

The Journey to Becoming CEO

Not everyone with the title “CEO” has the same duties and responsibilities. There are stages to this:

Solopreneur

In the beginning, you’re doing everything. You’re the salesperson, the executor, the janitor—wearing all the hats because, well, who else is going to do it? You’re responsible for all the tasks and accountable for the results. But the accountability is only to yourself.

Small Business

As your business starts to grow, you hire a team. Now you’re managing people, Making sure tasks get done correctly, and putting out fires left and right. You’re in charge, but still very much involved in the day-to-day.

Grow Up

It’s time so start evolving from having a job to running a business. . You have  25+ employees. You’re no longer just managing people; you’re building and guiding a leadership team. You become less hands-on and start focusing on strategic leadership. You’re now the leader of managers.

This is exactly where my client got stuck. He was phenomenal at sales but hadn’t transitioned into leading leaders. He’s not alone.  Shifting to being a strategic leader is where many business owners get stuck. 

How to Be a Great CEO

The truth is, like so many others, he had no idea what a CEO actually does. He needed to step back from being the superstar salesman and remove himself from the daily minutiae—those sales calls, the site visits, the endless meetings.

It’s a difficult reality but if you truly want to see your business (your baby!) thrive, you need to step back.

In his book Made to Thrive, Brad Giles outlines the five key traits and responsibilities of a successful CEO. Let’s dive into them.

Accountability

As CEO, you’re not just  responsible for individual tasks; you’re accountable for the overall success or failure of the organization. That means creating a culture of accountability and a strong team that can share the weight of the organization.  

Most CEOs shy away from this role, thinking it’s the COO’s job. Often the COO takes much of the operational accountability, but in the end, you own the results. 

Being the Company/Brand Ambassador

Your role is to make the right strategic connections and partnerships and to ignite passion within your organization by being the chief storyteller.

Remember my client? Besides being a sales whiz, he was also an amazing storyteller (probably why he was so good at sales). We shifted his focus. Instead of selling individual products, he started forging partnerships with other organizations, landing deals that sold dozens—sometimes hundreds—of units at once. See the difference? Revenue skyrocketed.

As an internal ambassador, you’re nurturing company values, getting people excited about the vision, and keeping the energy high. Externally, you’re the face of the company—speaking at conferences, leading webinars, and being the voice in marketing materials.

Culture

And no, this isn’t solely the responsibility of your head of HR or culture officer. While they implement initiatives, you own the culture. You need to build a culture of accountability in order to see success.

Culture is about the vision and ensuring your people feel recognized and valued. It’s about fostering a positive environment free of toxicity. If the culture stinks, it doesn’t matter how great your product is—people will leave, and your business will suffer.

Vision and Strategy

This one kind of seems like “Duh.” Your job is to set the course. It’s about crafting the strategy to achieve your long-term vision and goals. That means establishing Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs) and aligning your team to reach them.

This isn’t a solo endeavor. Involve your leadership team. Get them invested and excited. When everyone’s rowing in the same direction, magic happens.

Succession Planning

Honestly, almost no CEOs focus on this. But… They should. 

You need to be aware of future market trends and have a plan for key personnel changes. What happens if a vital team member leaves? How do you handle that?

Build your “virtual bench.” Go out and meet amazing “A” players. You might not need them now, but you will down the line. Expand your network. It’s like having a Rolodex of talent ready when you need it most.

Conclusion

Stepping into the role of CEO isn’t about being the best at everything; it’s about mastering these strategic accountabilities. You don’t have to be perfect at all five right out of the gate. Start with one. Focus on it. Get good at it, then move on to the next.

The more time you invest in these areas, the better leader you’ll become. And trust me, your company will thank you for it.

So, are you ready to step up and be the CEO your company needs? Reach out to Incrementa for business coaching and grow your business!