Why Great CEOs Know How to Be #2
One of the most overlooked qualities of truly great CEOs is their ability to play the role of #2. Not every situation requires you to lead from the front, and power isn’t always the right tool to move things forward.
This is a real dynamic I see all the time. Human nature drives us to establish a pecking order—it’s an instinct rooted more in animal behavior than in effective human leadership. But the best leaders I’ve been around, studied, and advised understand something important: you don’t always need to be the alpha.
When the struggle to “be #1” is removed from the room, there’s space for problem-solving, collaboration, creativity, and growth. The ego has its place—it’s what pushes leaders to take on big challenges, carry heavy responsibility, and stand up when others won’t. But unchecked ego, or the need to always dominate, is often what sabotages leaders and companies.
The Power Struggle Trap
I see this most clearly when small businesses begin to scale. A founder or CEO will finally reach the point where they need to bring in higher-level executives with strong résumés and proven success. Instead of learning from them or leveraging their expertise, many leaders make the mistake of immediately establishing dominance.
This often plays out as subtle (or not-so-subtle) power struggles. The result? Friction. Resentment. Short-lived relationships that rarely last more than 30–60 days. All because someone felt intimidated, unvalidated, or unwilling to share control.
The irony is, the very leaders brought in to help the business grow are the ones being pushed away.
The CEOs Who Thrive
The leaders who thrive are the ones who know how to step back and play the #2 role when necessary. They understand that sitting in the passenger seat on a project doesn’t diminish their authority—it strengthens their organization. They see the bigger picture:
- Collaboration beats control.
- Long-term growth beats short-term ego.
- Influence often outweighs authority.
Many of the world’s best CEOs spent years as #2 before stepping into the top role. That experience gave them the humility, perspective, and balance needed to succeed.
For founders who skipped that step—going straight from idea to CEO—it can be harder to let go of control. But the awareness of this challenge is the first step toward fixing it.
Why This Matters
If you want to be a great founder, a great CEO, or a great leader, you must develop the ability to step back when necessary. That’s what earns the respect of top-level people you bring into your organization—and it’s what allows your company to scale beyond your own bandwidth.
At the end of the day, leadership isn’t about proving you’re the strongest voice in the room. It’s about creating a culture where the best ideas win, collaboration thrives, and growth isn’t bottlenecked by ego.
If you’re struggling with this dynamic—or if you’re ready to build stronger leadership systems—we can help. At [Your Company], we advise founders, build leadership teams, and design strategic plans to support sustainable growth. We’ve worked with CEOs, COOs, and CFOs across industries, and we know how to help leaders balance power, ego, and collaboration to scale effectively.