Forty years in executive roles leaves a person with opinions. Michael Polk, the former CEO of Newell Brands, has spent decades refining his understanding of what the chief executive position demands and what it should look like going forward.
Polk shared his views in a January 2025 interview, describing how the role of CEO has shifted and why he believes further evolution is not just desirable but necessary. His perspective draws on experience at large public corporations and a current leadership role at Implus, a private equity-owned company.
The CEO Role Is Changing
Polk believes the image of the CEO as an unreachable figure sitting above the organization is giving way to something more connected. Leaders must adapt to market shifts, changing employee expectations, and new business models, Michael Polk Newell Brands argues, particularly in an economy that rewards agility over tradition.
“There are lots of different variables that can contribute to the kind and scope of work being different for a CEO,” he says. Company size, ownership structure, and the composition of the workforce all affect what the role requires in practice. Understanding those variables and adjusting accordingly is, in Polk’s view, a hallmark of durable leadership.
What Remains Constant
Amid all the change, Polk holds firm on a core set of qualities that effective CEOs share. “Accessibility, authenticity, and making sharp choices are all central to being successful in the role,” he says. These are not qualities that vary with company size or market conditions.
At Implus, Polk applies these principles in a more literal way than he did leading major public companies. He works alongside the marketing and commercial teams, models the behaviors he expects, and builds culture through participation rather than proclamation. For Michael Polk, the lesson of four decades is that the best leaders stay close to the work regardless of how large the organization around them grows. Refer to this article for related information.
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