From appointment to impact: being a new CEO

Stepping into a CEO role changes more than your job title. It changes your relationships, your visibility, your decision-making and often, your sense of self.

Whether you see your next role at CEO level, you’re newly appointed, or navigating your first eighteen months in post – becoming a chief executive brings challenges that few people fully anticipate. Moving from trusted colleague, subject-matter specialist or senior leader into organisational figurehead can feel exciting, exposing, energising and isolating – sometimes all at once.

This one-day workshop is designed for new and aspiring CEOs in civil society who want to lead with confidence, authenticity and resilience from the outset. Together, we’ll explore what really shifts when you become the person ultimately accountable: the one others look to for answers, direction and reassurance.

Through expert facilitation, honest reflection, practical tools and peer learning with others navigating similar transitions, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of the realities of CEO leadership – and how to thrive within it.

In this workshop, you’ll explore:

• the psychological shift into CEO leadership – understanding the move from senior leader to organisational figurehead, navigating imposter feelings, and building confidence in carrying accountability.
• leading with authenticity and authority – developing your own leadership style, balancing warmth with decisiveness, and building trust without losing yourself in the role.
• redefining relationships – managing changing dynamics with colleagues, peers, senior teams and trustees, including the complexities of internal appointments.
• working effectively with your board – building strong relationships with Chairs and trustees, managing scrutiny, and developing confidence in upward leadership.
• visibility, influence and scrutiny – understanding what changes when your words and actions carry greater weight, and leading through uncertainty with credibility.
• sustaining yourself in the role – building resilience, healthy boundaries and support systems that enable you to lead well over the long term.

You’ll also have space for honest conversation with peers, practical reflection and insights from experienced CEOs who have navigated the realities of stepping into the role themselves.

You’ll leave with:

• a personal plan for sustaining yourself and succeeding in the role
• greater clarity and confidence in your leadership transition
• a stronger understanding of the realities of CEO accountability
• practical approaches for navigating relationships, visibility and decision-making
• a clearer sense of the leader you want to be

Facilitators

Sarah Ellis

Senior people and development consultant, AtkinsonHR

Sarah Ellis

Senior people and development consultant, AtkinsonHR

Sarah has over 15 years’ experience working in the charitable sector, most notably in membership charities supporting diverse communities.

She has been a CEO at two charities spanning a total of 8.5 years, most recently spending 5 years at Keele University Students’ Union. She also volunteers on two charity boards.

Sarah holds an MBA in which her specialist dissertation was in Strategic Planning and is Level 7 CIPD qualified.