To wrap up our exploration of the leadership work of the CXOs, we now turn our attention to their relationship with line managers.

The big challenge for all CXOs is to contribute their functional expertise to points where business actually occurs. So, before moving onto section 3 of the book, we review some key factors that limit the impact of CXOs out in the business units.

CXOs exert their influence through the line executives – the heads of strategic business units, divisions, regions, and countries. Indeed, a defining characteristic of CXOs as a group is that their functional expertise is only as useful as their ability to influence their line colleagues.

Paradoxically, the line often resists their ‘help’. So the big challenge for CXOs is to build credibility and productive relationships with the people in the revenue-earning sectors of the business.

CXOs must be aware of how line managers perceive them – and the emotional burden that comes from being seen as costs – and to find ways of dealing with it.

The collaboration of CXOs and line managers within the senior team is discussed in chapter 20. Here, we describe why the relationship between CXOs and operational leaders is often strained. Then we discuss steps for creating more effective collaboration.