What It Feels Like to Step Into the CEO Role

Lately, I’ve been working with a few clients who were recently promoted internally to CEO. What’s striking isn’t just the role shift—the new accountabilities, relationships, and ways of working—but the sensory shift: the felt experience of occupying the top job for the first time.

Two things in particular stand out:

Progress Becomes Harder to See

The higher you go in an organization, the slower everything seems to move. As CEO, you’re operating at a different “altitude.” With that comes less direct feedback. Much of your focus is on strategy and culture, both of which evolve over much longer cycles. It becomes harder to tell what you’re actually “making happen” in the moment. Ironically, as your influence grows, your felt sense of impact can shrink.

The Problems Get Harder—and Stickier

The issues that land on your desk as CEO are the ones that couldn’t be resolved elsewhere in the organization. Capable people and teams have already taken a run at them. These aren’t technical problems with clear solutions—they’re dilemmas, trade-offs, and tensions to be navigated. Your job becomes deciding which trade-offs the organization can live with, putting the issue to rest as best you can, and helping everyone refocus.

One of the hardest parts of being a CEO is simply being the CEO—holding the space, staying steady, and showing up with clarity and conviction. The good news? I’ve seen leaders develop practices that help them improve at this very challenge. In short, they learn to manage themselves more effectively as the demands of the role intensify.

What Helps?

Here are a few things I’ve seen work well for leaders navigating this transition:

Talk with Peers in Similar Roles

There’s nothing more grounding than realizing what you’re feeling is normal—that it comes with the territory and isn’t a sign that you’re failing. Being able to name the challenge and hear “me too” is powerful.

Learn to Reframe

Years ago, I served on a board with a wildly successful entrepreneur who co-founded one of the most influential media companies of the past 30 years. Once driving together to a meeting, he commented about his experience saying:

“When you have success, you move into even greater challenges. Success brings you to the next level of complexity and difficulty. Often when things get harder, it’s actually a sign of success.”

Very few people get worse at the things that got them to where they are. Bigger roles bring bigger challenges. Yes, you still have growing to do, and no, you’re not perfect—but it’s worth remembering: your problems may well be the problems of success and a reminder of how much you have grown.

Evaluate Yourself at the Right Level

Are you shooting free throws—or trying to hit major league pitching? If it’s free throws, you might expect to make 80% with practice. But if it’s the latter, hitting .300 is all-star territory. Being a CEO is much more like facing major league pitching. Of course, you aspire to make great contact every time—but be honest with yourself about the game you’re playing, and grade yourself accordingly.  

What helps you “hold the space” as a leader? What practices or perspectives have you found useful? I’d love to hear what’s worked for you—or what you recommend to others stepping into senior roles.

Coaching can be especially powerful during times of transition. It creates space to unpack and clarify the things that are essential to your effectiveness and well-being as a leader—but that often can’t be solved with a checklist. If you think you might be at a point where coaching would be valuable, let’s talk.

Schedule a 30 Minute Introductory Call