THE ERA OF THE CRISIS CEO: LEADERSHIP IN UNCERTAINITY

Abstract

The author is Chairman of OTC Industrial Technologies and CEO of Arrowhead Engineered Products (AEP), and a U.S. Navy veteran. He notes that while leadership across the sectors has always been uncertain, today it “demands a heightened level of adaptability, clarity, and decisiveness.” The Crisis CEO develops a “keen ability to cut through the fog of ambiguity and focus on the essential few actions that will generate the greatest impact.” After giving a brief description of McDonald’s corporate reinvention after 2014, he describes a model he developed, the Profitable Growth Operating System (PGOS). He contends this “organizes leadership into four interconnected pillars: Profit, Growth, Operations, and Strategy.” He demonstrates how these factors were applied in a family-owned business facing a major crisis. Yet within 18 months, it was turned around and thrived. After other business-oriented case studies, he also shows the applicability for not just corporate CEOs, but leaders in nonprofits, education, and government. As he writes: “Civil leaders must navigate an increasingly polarized political landscape, economic challenges, and global geopolitical tensions. Tools like PGOS can help focus limited resources on the most critical issues, from climate change policies to economic recovery efforts, ensuring that the most pressing public needs are addressed with efficiency and foresight.”