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The Complete Guide to Becoming A Chief Executive
The real day-to-day work, the actual pay, and the honest path to the corner office — before you invest a decade of your life
by Alumigogo Books
Chapter 1: What Does a Chief Executive Actually Do?
If you've ever said, "I want to be the one making the calls," you've pictured a Chief Executive. But the reality of the role is much less glamorous — and much more interesting — than the stories about billionaires or the caricature of a corner-office autocrat. To decide if this career is right for you, you need to know what a Chief Executive actually does on a Tuesday, not what they say at a press conference. Let's start there.
The job title says 'Chief Executive,' but the real title is 'Chief Decision-Maker'
At its core, the Chief Executive (often called the CEO, or the President in some organizations) is the single person accountable for the overall results of an entire organization. That sounds simple, but the implications are enormous. Every major decision in the company eventually lands on your desk, and while you can delegate the execution, you cannot delegate the responsibility. If a division misses its sales target, if a product is recalled, if a key investor pulls out — the board of directors looks at one person: you.
A typical Chief Executive works 50 to 60 hours a week, though more than 70 is common during crises or major launches. The work happens in offices, yes, but also in meeting rooms, on airport concourses, at industry conferences, and increasingly on video calls. You'll spend more time interacting with people than analyzing spreadsheets, which surprises many people who imagine the