The Fate Of Your CEO

To the Editor:

Here’s a hypothetical scenario for everyone to ponder.

Suppose you are responsible for running a company and you are in the market for a new a CEO because the company is doing poorly. You interview a candidate whom is charming, smart, witty and says all the right stuff. You are so mesmerized by what he tells you he will accomplish, you hire him.

You sign him to a four-year deal with the option to renew for another four years. He tells you he understands that your decision to renew his contract shall be based on the condition of your company after four years and how well he did with regard to achieving the goals he set when you interviewed him. It will no longer be about what he says, how charming he is, etc., but it will be about results. 

As the four years go by you begin to see your new CEO is a BS artist and you realize he only accomplished one or two of the many goals he set out to. Your company is in worse shape than it was four years earlier and it’s in total disarray. There is a lot of unrest amongst your staff, many are unhappy and want to quit and the ones who are happy, like the environment because they no longer have to work hard to get paid because of all of the confusion. Your company is on the verge of bankruptcy and/or total collapse.

My question is, would you renew his contract for another four years or fire him the first chance you got? 

Chris DeThomas

14 Sweetbriar Lane , Sandy Hook                            October 26, 2012