The buck stops with the CEO

The moment things go wrong, some leaders point fingers everywhere except the mirror. Blame the team, the market, the economy, the "talent pool".

But here's the uncomfortable truth no one says out loud:

If your leaders are underperforming, YOU hired them.

And if you inherited them? YOU chose to keep them.

Either way, that's on you.

Not every CEO picks their own team. Some inherit what was left behind. You get a grace period, use it wisely. Experts put that window at 6 to 9 months, with the full team in place by month 12. Beyond that, you're no longer inheriting. You're choosing. And your team is watching you.

Every day after that, keeping the wrong leaders is YOUR call. Not the last CEO's. Yours.

So what do great CEOs do?

1. They face it early. The longer you wait to address a leadership problem, the more expensive it becomes. In morale, in momentum, in money. Every day you wait, someone good is updating their résumé.

2. They separate the person from the role. A good person in the wrong seat is still the wrong person for that seat. Make that distinction with clarity and compassion.

3. They have the hard conversation directly. No vague feedback. No hoping it gets better. "Here's what I'm seeing. How can I help you? Here's what needs to change. Here's the timeline."

4. They ask themselves: Did I set them up to succeed? Best CEOs audit themselves first. Was the expectation clear? Was the support there? Was the strategy sound? Did you give them a fair shot?

5. They act, even when it's uncomfortable. Keeping the wrong leader in place to avoid a difficult conversation is one of the most costly decisions a CEO can make.

Leadership is not a title. It's a responsibility.

The moment you step into the CEO role, the wins AND the failures land on your desk.

may not have hired them. But if they're still in the seat a year into your tenure, that's your call.

Owning the problem is always the first step to solving it.