Ihave worked with a number of CEOs during my many years of helping companies improve quality. Although all are different in their leadership styles, when it comes to their attitudes toward excellence, most top leaders fall into one of three categories.

The honeymoon CEO

The first is what I call the honeymoon CEO. Let me use the example of Mr. A, who typifies the honeymooner. He usually joins a company as CEO during the early years of the business or during a major shift in business strategy, when lots of money is being pumped into the company without the immediate expectation of profits. During this honeymoon period, which typically lasts about three years, the honeymoon CEO—always a great one for burning other people’s money—has a blast. He throws money at setting up new offices, recruiting more people, five-star travel, and so forth. Of course, he characterizes it as “capital investment to grow the business.” If questioned about quality or customer issues, the honeymoon CEO is quick to respond that the company is in its “establishment” or “rapid growth” phase, and that quality will have to wait.

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