Being a CEO means, by definition, that you are at the top of the food chain of your company. Which also means that you do not have anyone above you, you can learn from – which can create all kinds of issues. If this is you – go out and find a trusted network of advisors/peers to overcome this challenge.
I am happiest when I am in a room full of people who are all smarter than I am. I just love learning – and I do learn best from people who are smarter, better, more knowledgeable than I am. Time and time I seek out these situations – when I was at Mozilla, the team I was part of consisted of some of the best engineers I know. Same was true for my time at eBay and Google.
And I know the same is true for many of you.
Once you become the CEO, this setup becomes infinitesimally harder. People look at you as the gal or guy who has the answers. As the person who is the smartest person in the room.
For me, this means that you have to do the hard work and create a network of trusted advisors and/or peers. Being a CEO is a lonely proposition, and without a strong network of people who can help and guide you, many CEOs break.