Last updated: December 16

Addressing the “Great Resignation”—Executive engagement & the new CEO (with checklist) 

According to the World Economic Forum’s The Global Risks Report 2021, 16th edition, “ . . . business ecosystems in many countries are facing the risks of sclerotic, regressive torpor or accelerated creative destruction. Indecisive or misguided leadership has the potential to exacerbate those trends, causing ripples through the global economy and locking in catastrophic outcomes (p. 63).

As fatalistic as this sounds, there is currently a tremendous opportunity for CEOs to harness the capacity of their teams and with little expense, except for time, focus and effort, and a handful of tools you can begin using immediately.

The same report states that “ . . . the risk of ‘youth disillusionment’ is being largely neglected by the global community, but it will become a critical threat to the world in the short term.” (p. 8).

Investing in executive engagement can help to thwart this trend. As the CEO, you have a tremendous opportunity to reverse this trend and you can start now. This is the optimistic perspective. Of course inheriting and onboarding a new team can take a great deal of time, patience, and energy. To help you succeed, we’ve put together a guide (with easy-to-use scripts) for assimilating into a new team to help your onboarding as seamless as possible, while engaging your new team.

With these approaches, you will positively impact your team, organization, customers, investors, the community and the GDP of your region.

CEO leading a team

Leadership Adaptability

At the executive level and for the new CEO, mastering leadership adaptability strategies may be some of the most important leadership skills you can learn. Establishing the best interactions comes from learning how to treat others the way THEY want to be treated—an adage we’ve heard often as children in which we’re told “to treat others the way we want to be treated.”

Understanding that individual people differ on how they want to be treated and what motivates them is taking social adaptability a step higher. During your career, your leadership style might have had a positive impact on some of your team but created negative reactions with others.

Having the ability to make micro adjustments to your behavioral style to establish a safe environment for your team to thrive is one of the most important leadership skills to have. It is called behavioral adaptability. Social scientists call this “Social Intelligence.”

For example, new CEOs brought in externally can often face resentment of internal CEO candidates on the team. The new CEO will need to win the respect and loyalty of each member of the leadership team. Perhaps the CFO who was passed over for the CEO role will be a flight risk! In this case, you want to be swift and effective in establishing loyalty in the very beginning and it isn’t always guaranteed that your personality and way of socializing will instill this trust. Understand your executive team. Know what’s important to them.

Consider the recruitment of an executive earning $200K per year. Then consider the cost of recruitment, selection, onboarding, training, and the time to climb to the top of the learning curve.

Direct turnover costs are estimated at 90% to 200% of the departing employee’s salary. Multiply that 40 times for a departing executive with a salary of $100K to $250K and the negative impact of turnover on employee performance, financial impact, and customer service can be epic in this context (Joseph Rosse, Leadership Retention Literature Review, 2009).

During an 11-year-long study on corporate culture and performance, Kotter and Heskett documented results for over 200 companies in over 20 different industries. The study reported that companies that managed their cultures well saw revenue increases of 682% versus the 166% for companies that did not prioritize company culture. Stock price increases of 901% versus 74% and net income increases of 756% versus 1% (Forbes, Does corporate culture drive financial performance, February, 2011).

The type-A driver style CEO

Is this you?

You set high goals for yourself and others and fully expect to meet those goals. You have a high degree of decisiveness, sense of urgency, and risk-taking ability. If someone were to tell you that a goal can’t be met, you would simply respond, “sit back and watch me.”

You are an excellent problem solver, multitasker, and trailblazer. You work hard to effect change and constantly look for more efficient ways of getting things done, reducing costs, and streamlining systems. You are an individualist who appreciates being recognized for your achievements and with a trailblazing mindset, you don’t always seek input from others. You sometimes feel a greater sense of accomplishment when success is achieved on your own.

You are confident and curious, leading to a high degree of knowledge on varying topics. You are motivated by change and new challenges, and you want to be perceived as someone who loves competition and difficult assignments.

This describes many type-A CEOs, and this style can cause friction, because the CEO is goal focused, and his or her motivations can be misinterpreted as egotistical and self-serving.

Every executive team has varying strengths and weaknesses. As the CEO, it is your responsibility to understand that your characteristics and behavioral style won’t always complement others on the team, and you need to prioritize your ability to both encourage your own adaption as well as the executives you work with in order to lead a successful company.

How you communicate with opposing styles if you’re a type-A leader will determine your ability to produce results, especially if you’ve inherited a team.

extraverted executive and team

Communicating with the extraverted “people person” executive

The “people person” thrives on personal recognition and they greatly appreciate the support of their ideas, goals, opinions, and dreams. They are social butterflies, which can be a major asset for your company, from both an internal and external perspective. Consider this strength and the ways it can be used to add productivity and efficiency to the operations of your company.

For example, their role might be best utilized in creating partnerships with external organizations, with suppliers, customers, or thought leadership opportunities through public speaking. They also might be the perfect fit to lead mentorship programs within your company.

These individuals tend to have a strong presence, enjoy stimulating and entertaining conversation, and your personal attention will win them over. As the CEO, give these executives time to socialize instead of rushing into tasks. Allowing this space to exist will encourage their productivity, no matter how awkward it may feel. A few moments of socializing will earn their trust.

To sum it up, be interested in them, their goals, and their results.

Useful clips for leading the "people person"

Open and responsive interaction with others is ideal with the “people person”. You want it to be affable and unhurried—similar to how you would converse with a good friend.

A beneficial attribute of this executive is their openness to your suggestions, but ideally it allows them to look and feel good. Try to avoid long-term commitments:

“You know nearly everybody, Ian. Seeing as we need to get $500 in pledges by the end of the month, why not wrap up all your calls by Friday? That way next week will be more relaxed for you.”

They appreciate general tribute: “We are so fortunate to have you on the executive team, Ian. You have shown tremendous leadership.”

I’s are often concept people who come up with ideas, but not always the means of carrying them out. Steer them toward ways of assuring the implementation of those ideas and use optimistic language:

“Ian, this proposal looks good so far. What if we included more risk mitigation examples? I think Jenn’s surveys will help. Maybe meet with her and brainstorm some ideas together. Ian, thank you for all that you do!”

Premier office

Communicating with the “efficient, quiet team player” executive

These executives are relationship-oriented and value trust above all else. Our advice is to take things slow, earn their trust, support their feelings, and show sincere interest in what they have to say. The quiet team player will avoid confrontation and they want to be assured that everyone will approve of them and their decisions.

Give the introverted leader time to solicit the opinions of their peers. This can be a major asset within an organization in terms of executive AND employee engagement. They take comfort in building sincere relationships and have an incredible ability to do so—utilize this skill to encourage sincere, trustworthy relationships throughout the organization.

To sum it up, talk in terms of feelings, not facts and be sincere.

Useful clips for leading the "efficient, quiet team player"

Be organized when making suggestions—move forward steadily and patiently as you check to see that they understand and accept what is being said:

“How do you feel about me joining your efforts on this project? Are you comfortable with me acquiring 30% of the initiatives we need to implement?”

Encourage them to share their suggestions in a way that will add more stability to the company:

“Would you mind writing down your 90-day plan for your team and their initiatives so I can write my proposal without missing anything?”

Mitigate their fears by showing how specific changes and/or strategies will be of benefit to them and others:

“Maia, moving offices will be an adjustment for all of us; about 85% of our staff has agreed to go. The company will move you and your family, sell your house, and give you a 15% bonus for your loyalty to the company.”

These executives can take things personally, so avoid the “something is wrong with you…” tone quickly.

Be non-threatening and acknowledge what they're doing right while emphasizing what needs to be worked on:

“Maia, I admire your attention to detail. We have to add more statistics to the proposal. For example…”

These executives may be reluctant to ask for help, so try acknowledging their loyalty and teamwork in the conversation:

“Maia, you model the cooperative spirit that our company prides itself on. Your team wants to please you, so by delegating a few more of your responsibilities, a little more time will open up in your week to address some of the executive initiatives we are working on implementing.”

Communicating with the “analytical” executive

Task-oriented and time-disciplined, these executives thrive in thoughtful approaches to problem solving. While they aren’t natural leaders or outspoken contributors, they can be relied upon to conduct research, crunch numbers, and perform detailed footwork for the executive team.

It goes without say how these executives can be best utilized in a way that meets their needs and aspirations. They will be the backbone for business operations that require detail-oriented attention and well-developed systems.

When appropriate, set guidelines and deadlines—they appreciate patience and the space to do their work. They appreciate being complimented on their brainpower, so recognize their contributions, but don’t spend a lot of time on trying to be their friend. A sincere professional relationship will likely develop over time but unlike the “people person”, a friendship isn’t a prerequisite.

To sum it up, be thorough, well prepared, business-like, and patient.

analytical team

Useful clips for leading the "analytical" person

Ask your questions in an unobtrusive, lenient manner to understand the ideas, goals, or assurances:

“Peter, I don’t want to pressure you, I’m just curious about why you think this project needs a different approach.”

When a perspective or goal is being explored, verbally and/or in written format, review your impression of the process:

“My understanding is that you want a little more time to steep on the marketing initiative brought forth last week. When may I call you about your decision?”

Ease into bigger questions around problems by asking, “How would you…?”

For these executives, allow them to save face, as a fear for them is being wrong:

“Peter, your work here exudes neatness and timeliness. This new software we are investing in will help you accomplish the same quality of work, but even quicker.”

Establish specific deadlines:

“Peter, we’ve made some changes to our priorities. We would like to have two associates help you on tasks that you direct, delegate and review, leaving more space in your week to strategize with the executive team. Do you know of two people right for the job?”

Communicating with the executive with a similar style—the Type A personality

“Too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the broth.”

Two type-A leaders on the same team can create fiction. Type A’s  don’t like to have their time wasted. They are focused on solutions so be sure to provide them with relevant information and options, with probabilities of success. If you are handing over written details, be sure they fit on a single page.

These executives are goal-oriented, so appeal to their sense of accomplishment. Stroke their egos by supporting their ideas and acknowledging their power and prestige. This is where too many Type A personalities can become a problem. Competition and ego can serve as an effective driver for pushing the needle forward in a business, but it can be fatal to success as well.

If there is a disagreement, these executives will respond best to facts that support another person’s opinion (versus feelings). So, if there is a disagreement between two Type A personalities, ideally the facts brought to the table will influence the best strategy for implementation.

To sum it up, if you are leading or reporting to a Type A leader, be efficient while knowing you both may have a level of pride that could get in the way of successful progression. Having that self-awareness will be crucial.

Useful clips for leading the Type A person

The goal when working with a Type A leader is to be willing to either mutually or independently allow the other to achieve those results:

“Ryan, this process will give you the freedom to develop your team your way and still allow Jane and Marcus to structure theirs in a different way while saving everyone time.”

Skip personal comments and focus on their accomplishments and track record:

“Ryan, you've exceeded our company goals over this past year. I am taking this into consideration when preparing the executive team for initiatives next quarter.”

Ask them how they would go about solving problems—they work hard at being the best person for the job:

“Ryan, we've received feedback that we want to address. It seems some of your employees don't feel appreciated for the extra hours they've been putting in for you. Jenna and Martin specifically have worked 14-hour days to beat your deadline. How do you think we can reinforce their morale?”

Be clear in your communication around needed improvements and establish deadlines:

“We need to streamline communication between the marketing team and analytics. We had two separate divisions spending time on the same project. Establish a plan to keep everybody informed of who's working on what and get back to me by end of day on Friday.”

Understanding what motivates each executive is key in developing executive engagement.

Each person on your team will be motivated in a unique way with their own goals, learning styles, engagement styles, and behavioral preferences (how they interact with others). Serve your team with intention by treating them the way they want to be treated. By doing so, you will earn their trust, loyalty, and optimum performance. You will be authentically engaged with your team. In my recent conversation with the former CEO of a global SaaS company in Copenhagen, he shared that he had the highest executive retention rates in the industry by following this methodology. In an industry with high turnover, this is not an accidental outcome.

Are you the chair of the nominating committee and governance committee? A CHRO? A departing CEO?

If you found this guide useful, consider sharing it with your committee or team at your next meeting. At Westgate, we help CEOs and their teams optimize performance by developing clear messaging, improving engagement, and making better decisions.

Contact us today for a preliminary discussion.

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About executive resume writing author 

Westgate - Maureen Farmer

Maureen Farmer is the Founder & CEO of Westgate Executive Branding & Career Consulting Inc., an international personal branding and career consulting firm delivering premier executive branding and career consulting services for high-profile leaders. Author of The CEO Script Vault: Job Search Scripts for Busy Executives, Maureen believes that when we’re doing work aligned with our values, everyone wins. Using the law of attraction to identify quality employers utilizing the hidden job market is a cornerstone of her career management strategy.

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