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CEOs making New Year resolutions are not a new phenomenon. After all, they are people and most people look at a new year as one that is more promising than the one past and resolve to correct the wrongs of the prior year by making changes to their behavior. Boy, do they have their work cut out for them this time! 2009 was not just another fiscal period. It was a seminal year for most CEOs. It ruthlessly separated the wheat from the chaff and bared the souls and guts of the weak. Ones without fortitude find themselves redrafting resumes than making resolutions.
However, the ones that did make it and pulled their organizations through this leadership defining period should take a moment to savor the experience. No degree from an Ivy league school or the experience of leading teams through prior downturns were guarantees for determining solutions this time around. It was different in many aspects – the downward spiral was damaging in both its speed and its depth; tenured institutions were not spared its wrath and a seismic political shift altered the regulatory landscape for many industries. Still, many CEOs weathered the storm with aplomb and efficiency. As I spoke with dozens of them over the last month, they believe that 2010 holds the promise of a strong recovery. This should be uplifting for the millions of employees that follow these leaders.
In a year that proved without a shadow of a doubt that there is no elevator to the top, these leaders deserve our congratulations and our praise. We will showcase many of them this year on this blog. Here is wishing every one of our thousands of readers a prosperous and successful New Year!
