Korean executives can rightly be called the “stars of the salaryman world.” According to one study, the probability of being promoted to an executive position is only 0.7%, with the average journey from new hire to executive taking around 22 years. Yet even after this long path, executives don’t usually remain in the role for very long: the average tenure in Korea is about 5.6 years, and even shorter in the top 10 conglomerates. CEOs often last only 3–4 years. Small wonder then that executives are sometimes nicknamed “temporary staff.”
But beyond the statistics lies a critical question: what exactly should executives do—and just as importantly, what should they avoid—to survive and thrive in this role?
What Executives Must Do
Traditional executive leadership emphasizes three fundamentals: setting vision and direction, shaping organizational culture, and delivering performance. Beyond these, three additional responsibilities are particularly vital:
Removing Obstacles
Executives must eliminate harmful practices, unhealthy cultures, and counterproductive conflicts that stall organizational progress. Subtraction often matters more than addition.Opening New Paths
They should serve as pioneers who foster healthy routines, introduce fresh solutions, and create the conditions for innovation.Connecting the Organization
Executives must bridge structural gaps and strengthen networks, much like General Stanley McChrystal did during the Iraq War by connecting elite military units through shared intelligence.
What Executives Must Avoid
Overreliance on Past Achievements
As Marshall Goldsmith emphasized in his book What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, the skills that led to past promotions rarely ensure future success at the executive level. Yesterday’s victories are “yesterday’s rain.”Moral Blind Spots
Executives live under a microscope. Scandals—whether from ethical lapses or careless behavior—can instantly end a career. Integrity is non-negotiable. One CEO, for example, avoided even the appearance of impropriety by refusing one-on-one dinners with female colleagues and by meticulously managing expense reports, underscoring that credibility is as important as performance.
Defining the Role of an Executive
Ultimately, an executive is “a decision-maker who ensures the organization and its people can truly succeed.” That means listening deeply, observing comprehensively, and making the right calls.
One anecdote captures this best. A senior global executive once told a new appointee: “If you truly listen to your people and do your utmost to make sound decisions, you will earn trust anywhere in the world.”
Success as an executive, then, is less about working harder like a mid-level manager and more about embodying integrity, removing roadblocks, and making decisions that drive sustainable growth.
