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Loneliness Haunts 50 Percent of CEOs at Work

by Kathy Jones on Jan 19 2012 9:13 PM

 Loneliness Haunts 50 Percent of CEOs at Work
A survey has found that being a chief executive officer (CEO) brings with it feelings of seclusion and loneliness at work and job requirements that are far-removed from the original expectations.
According to a poll of 83 CEOs in the United States, conducted by management consulting firm RHR International, 87 percent of CEOs felt they were prepared for the demands of the position while 54 percent of respondents reported that the requirements of being a CEO were different then they expected.

Those numbers only increased when looking at first-time c-suite executives. According to the research, 91 percent of first-time CEOs felt they were prepared for the position, but 72 percent reported the actual expectations of the job being different than they had anticipated.

Another challenge for many CEOs comes from the isolation that the position brings. According to the survey, 50 percent of CEOs felt secluded in the position and of this group, 61 percent felt that this seclusion was a hindrance to their performance.

Not surprisingly, first-time CEOs were more negatively affected by this loneliness, with 70 percent reporting that it hurt them in their ability to do their job.

"This is not uncommon," said Thomas Saporito, chairman and CEO at RHR International.

"Stress, pressure and loneliness all combine to create a job unlike any other they have previously had."

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The survey also challenged the popular notion regarding toxic relationships between CEOs and the board of directors. According to the research, 98 percent of CEOs stated they had a good relationship with their boards of directors.

Additionally, 95 percent of respondents believed that their board supported many of the decisions they made, while 59 percent cited the board of directors as the most trusted source for feedback.

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"While some CEOs have poor relationships with their boards, it's clear the majority don't fall into this category," Saporito said.

"The ones who do are simply the ones that make for good press," Saporito added.

Source-ANI


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