Yang and Yin?

“The gap between No. 1 and No. 2 in a company is often bigger than many realize. CEOs not only perform different tasks from their second-in-commands -- who commonly focus on running operations -- they have to act differently, too. That means the two roles often demand very different personality traits, say people who have been there.

“CEOs talk about getting acclimated to the limelight. Longtime chief operating officers say they are used to working behind the scenes and submerging their egos. Their jobs focus them inward on the company's problems, while CEOs spend much of their time convincing outsiders of the company's strengths.

“The very talents that make a great chief operating officer -- like finicky attention to detail -- can get in the way when you are in the top seat. CEOs are supposed to strategize, not micromanage…

“The Chief Operating Officer Business Forum… this month discussed with its members the pros and cons of moving up to CEO. About half of the 40 members present at the discussions said they didn't ‘want the headache’ of the top post, says William E. Shepard, founder of the Forum…

“As CEO, ‘you have to have the fearless willingness to put yourself out there. Some people said, I don't want to do that. It's not who I am’ …

“CEOs and operating officers can, of course, have traits in common. Both jobs call for a high degree of leadership skills, intelligence and business smarts. A company might work to make the two jobs more in sync, to smooth the way for a move up the ladder.

“In that case, the deputy executive would be given the kind of strategy-setting responsibilities more commonly associated with CEOs, and pushed into external roles, talking to the company's board and investors. That was the case with Autodesk's [Carl] Bass, who became operating chief in 2004.

“But even Mr. Bass says he didn't covet the CEO role before he was tapped… He tends to be more interested in products than public relations, yet he must be a cheerleader for the company in front of analysts, shareholders and the community. It's vital that a CEO consistently project a positive attitude to help keep up morale. In the No. 2 role, it was OK ‘to be more curmudgeonly,’ he says.”

(“A Different Animal Seeks the No. 1 Post; Often, It's Not No. 2.” Phred Dvorak. Wall Street Journal: October 22, 2007. pg. B.1)

HOW DO YOU balance strategy and operations, public and private, cheerleader and curmudgeon, in your development? Perhaps we can work toward bringing together both sides...