Every single CEO thinks they’re above average—a mathematical impossibility that explains countless business failures. McKinsey’s research is brutal: CEOs rate themselves higher than their boards rate them 80% of the time, and higher than direct reports 100% of the time. This isn’t confidence; it’s delusion. The person steering the ship can’t see the icebergs everyone else is screaming about.
The CEO Reality Distortion Field
CEOs score themselves higher than reality 100% of the time
Citations:
Citation by: LinkedIn Leadership Analysis.
This 'Lake Wobegon effect' demonstrates how unconscious incompetence prevents leaders from accurately assessing their own performance.
Full StudyCitation by: McKinsey & Company.
CEOs score themselves higher than their direct reports 100 percent of the time and higher than boards score them 80 percent of the time.
Full StudyThe Uncomfortable Truth About Your Business
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