Should I Hire a President?
The Short Answer
Possibly. But hiring a president is not a solution by itself.
The role creates value only when it addresses a defined constraint, has authority to act, and fits the owner’s intended relationship with the business.
Otherwise, the company may add a senior employee without changing how decisions are made.
The Question Behind the Question
The deeper question is often, “Can someone else carry the operating responsibility I am carrying now?”
That question may come from growth pressure, exhaustion, succession planning, or a desire to spend more time outside the business.
A president may help. But the business first needs clarity about what the owner is trying to stop doing, what the president would own, and what decisions would remain with the owner.
The Business Reality
A president cannot create leadership depth where the organization has no defined structure.
Before hiring, identify:
- The outcomes the role must own.
- The decisions the role can make independently.
- The information required to make those decisions.
- The leaders who would report to the president.
- The owner responsibilities that would remain.
- The measures that would show whether the role is working.
If the owner continues approving every major decision, overriding the role, or maintaining direct relationships with every key employee, the president may have responsibility without authority.
That is an expensive form of ambiguity.
What You Can Figure Out Yourself
Write two lists:
What I want this person to take from me
- Operating decisions
- People management
- Customer relationships
- Financial accountability
- Strategic execution
- Something else
What I am actually willing to give up
Compare the lists honestly.
Then draft a one-page decision-rights document. For each major area, state whether the president can decide, recommend, approve, or merely execute.
The gaps between those words often explain why leadership hires fail.
Where Clarity Changes the Conversation
You may conclude that you need a president. You may need a different role, such as a general manager or chief operating officer. You may need clearer systems before hiring anyone. Or you may decide that the company is not large or complex enough to justify the position.
The decision becomes more useful when it is tied to a specific constraint instead of a general hope that the owner will feel less burdened.
A Few Questions Worth Asking
- What problem is the president being hired to solve?
- What decisions will move from the owner to the role?
- What happens if the president disagrees with the owner?
- Is the organization ready to follow someone other than the owner?
- How will success be measured after six and twelve months?
The Waypoint
Waypoint helps define the operating gap before a major leadership decision is made.
It provides a common fact pattern for the owner and advisors to evaluate whether the role, authority, economics, and organizational timing make sense.