A CEO not only sets the tone of an organization but also the “pace,” a work style with far-reaching implications for corporate success. So demonstrates Paul College’s Jianhong Chen, assistant professor of strategic management, in her influential study of “urgency and pacing” or “temporal personality” among hundreds of corporate leaders.
“Your urgency dictates how pressed you feel in your day to day work,” Chen said. “Your pacing style dictates whether you insist on getting things done right away, prefer to procrastinate, or tend to do things methodically over time.”
In one study, Chen’s research found that organizations led by CEOs with a pressing sense of urgency, tempered by a preference for working at a steady and methodical pace, enjoy greater success with innovation.
