A 'nicer' image on CFO agenda?

• Author: Ladd, Scott
• Position: PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT - Chief financial officer - Brief article

Executive challenges ahead aren't limited to the finance chief, of course. Chief executives have a whole new panoply of business concerns and roles to play--including chief diplomat and chief image officer, says consulting firm Heidrick & Struggles International Inc.

"CEOs will encounter a wealth of new challenges in 2011, further complicating a role that has become more highly scrutinized over the past two years than ever before," says Stephen A. Miles, Heidrick & Struggles vice chairman and head of its Leadership Advisory Services. "The impact of the financial crisis, combined with the new requirements for conducting business on a global scale, have transformed the office of CEO."

Miles cites several key challenges on tap for chief executives this year. Stepping into the role of company "ambassador" is one; entering new markets, CEOs must convince local communities its business will serve a wider social benefit. Repairing the corporate image generally is also crucial, in the wake of the debate that led to passage of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection...