I have withstood a heap of abuse since I re-launched my private coaching practice with a press release about CEO’s salaries being reasonable (link). My ex husband accused me of sucking up to CEO’s, which made me laugh out loud in the Dallas airport. But seriously, after a day of meetings in Washington with Senior leaders who admit to feeling like a fraud because it is well and good to lead in good times but when the s*#t hits the fan they are the ones everybody looks to make decisions and the buck stops with them. There is no wise oracle to ask. There is no one to run to for answers. There is only the raw cold moment of consulting one’s own deep files of factoids, synthesized knowledge and accumulated wisdom. And in cold lonely moments choices that will be picked over ad infinitum must be selected, action must be taken, and decisions are boldly made. Maybe they are right, maybe they are wrong, only hindsight, not the endless jabber of the Monday morning quatterbackers will prove if the choices made will stand the test of time.

And never has this been more apparent than when watching top executives squirm when things go oh so hideously wrong. So next time you think about ill gained spoils of top executives, remember that these are the guys in the public stocks when they make bad decisions.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0511/Blame-game-ensues-as-executives-testify-on-cause-of-BP-oil-spill