When the Trusted Advisor of the CEO is a Fool

A trusted advisor sometimes emerges when the CEO feels that even senior executives tend to speak their minds ‘selectively’ and are more likely to tell him what he wants to hear rather than what they themselves are thinking. Indeed, how can the CEO succeed at his task if he cannot get honest and constructive feedback from at least one trusted critical stakeholder?

Epichtonius Cosmopolites, The Fool’s Cap Map of the World, ca. 1580s*

Who are the trusted advisors?

Trusted advisors of CEOs are usually experts at some trade or craft, meaning that they have prolonged and worthwhile experience through practice and education in a particular field. They are widely recognized as a reliable source of knowledge, technique or skill.

Some of them like to brag of having successfully managed more than 30% of the M&A they have carried out.

They usually have traveled around the world for business and pleasure.

They often hold a MBA from a renowned business school.

Few of them are professionally trained in the domain of human behavior.