Most CEOs get blindsided in year one.
You think it’s about making big decisions — but it’s actually about letting go, seeing clearly, and building a real team.
Michael Porter coined the “7 Surprises for New CEOs,” and after coaching dozens of founder-CEOs through Apex, I’ve seen these surprises wreck momentum time and time again. Good news? You can avoid them.
Here’s how to handle each surprise using the Apex CEO Playbook:
✅ Alignment
✅ Product
✅ People
✅ Margins
I Always Wanted to Be a Lifeguard. Instead, I Became a CEO.
I grew up surfing in Huntington Beach. I wanted to be a lifeguard.
I never went that route. I built and sold a company instead.
But the two jobs have a lot in common: scanning the horizon, making fast decisions, leading through chaos.
Let’s dive into the seven surprises — and how to outmaneuver each one.
Surprise #1: You Can’t Run the Company
The Fix: Let Go Through Alignment + Quarterly Goals
You think you can outwork the role. You can’t.
Your value comes from setting direction — not making every decision.
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Establish weekly/monthly meeting rhythms.
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Define 3–5 quarterly priorities. Assign clear owners.
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Use OKRs to stay out of the weeds.
You steer. They row.
Surprise #2: Giving Orders Is Very Costly
The Fix: Influence Through Vision + KPIs
Every command carries a hidden tax: culture, autonomy, morale.
Instead of micromanaging:
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Set a bold, clear 3–5 year vision (your BHAG).
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Let the team build the roadmap.
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Coach with questions and metrics — not mandates.
Influence beats authority, every time.
Surprise #3: It’s Hard to Know What’s Really Going On
The Fix: Create Information Flow Through People + Culture
Bad news moves slow — unless you build a system where it moves fast.
Here’s how:
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Hold monthly skip-level check-ins.
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Use weekly team scorecards.
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Track leading indicators — not just lagging results.
If you can’t see it, you can’t fix it.
Surprise #4: You Are Always Sending a Message
The Fix: Be Intentional With Communication + Culture
Everything you say — and don’t say — shapes the culture.
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End all-hands with a clear message of progress and focus.
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Track team meeting scores and adjust your tone.
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Reinforce desired behaviors in 1:1s.
Leadership isn’t what you say. It’s how you show up.
Surprise #5: You’re Not the Boss of Everything
The Fix: Manage Up Through Margin + Long-Term Strategy
Boards, investors, key accounts — they all shape your world. You can’t just lead down. You have to lead up.
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Protect margins with proactive reporting.
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Translate your strategy into EBITDA.
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Answer investor questions before they’re asked.
The best CEOs don’t just manage. They forecast.
Surprise #6: Pleasing Shareholders Is Not Enough
The Fix: Lead With Balanced Metrics Across APPM
If you chase stock price and revenue but burn out your team or gut your margins, you're headed for a cliff.
We measure across all four pillars:
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Product — Is it getting stronger or just cheaper?
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People — Are you retaining talent or draining them?
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Margins — Are you building profitability or pushing volume?
Sustainable wins come from balance.
Surprise #7: You Still Depend on Others to Succeed
The Fix: Build a High-Performance Team With Clear Roles + Trust
You don’t need to be the smartest person in the room. You need to build the smartest room.
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Define roles across ops, finance, sales, and product.
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Hire people better than you in their lanes.
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Create trust and accountability with weekly 1:1s and shared KPIs.
Scale happens when you make others successful.
Final Word
Being CEO is the hardest job you’ll ever love. It’s full of traps.
But when you lead through clarity, structure, and alignment, you move from reacting to scaling.
That’s exactly what the Apex CEO Playbook was built for.
If you're navigating fast growth, margin pressure, or prepping for exit — don't learn these lessons the hard way.
📩 Reach out at luke@apexceo.co or DM me “Playbook” on LinkedIn.
Let’s build the company you were meant to lead — without the surprises.
