I have been asked before: What is the difference between a CEO and an executive director? Both are leadership titles in organizations. Each is the highest title in the organization and the one responsible for carrying out the goals or to fulfill the mission established by the board of directors. The term executive director is more frequently used in not-for-profit groups, whereas CEO is used with for-profit corporations or extremely large non-profits. Most have stockholders on for-profit entities, who demand the shares increase in value. Sometimes it seems not much else matters. We can recall the 1987 movie Wall Street, where Gordon Gekko is quoted saying, “Greed is good.” It seems today’s CEO’s must live by this motto.
The push for increases in market share or market share pricing have always been there but today it seems intensified. The wine industry is an ironic example as they have now begun intensifying wines. Investors refuse to wait ten years to get the return on their investment. So, wine makers responded by developing a wine that could be consumed in a year, not requiring years of aging. However, these wines cannot be stored and must be consumed—there are consequences. Ever wonder why today’s wines give you a headache?