Who Can Help the CEO? (HBR Case Study and Commentary)

Eliot Robbens is the CEO of TrakVue, a spinout launched two years ago with highly ambitious financial projections. His vice president of sales has just quit after only six months, becoming the second sales VP that Eliot has lost. The company is a year behind in achieving its results, and Eliot has a board meeting coming up in just a few days. Where to turn? His old friend Amory declines to advise him and suggests executive coaching. An affable squash opponent counsels that he save himself by landing a couple of big accounts. His beloved wife offers a vaguely Zen exhortation. How can Eliot get genuine help? Three experts comment on this fictional case study in R0904B and R0904Z. Jaithirth Rao, an IT entrepreneur and the founder of MphasiS, has experienced Eliot's difficulty himself. He calls it "the myth of the self-reliant leader." Rao cautions that colleagues' own agendas may color their advice and that executive coaches may fail to perceive the ambiguities in a situation. A formal network of peers can be powerful, he says - as can a loyal and perceptive assistant. Susan J. Ashford, a dean and a professor at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, suggests that the biggest challenge for Eliot is developing greater learning agility. He must admit his weaknesses, share his concerns with colleagues and the board, and create a company culture in which input is valued. Stephen J. Socolof, a founder and a managing partner of New Venture Partners, says that Eliot should acquire an active network of mentors and should regularly ask for help from the board, which will appreciate being kept in the loop.

• Executives
• Career coaching
• Power and influence