I just read two very good articles on roles and responsibilities of a management team.

A CEO does only three things:

• Sets the overall vision and strategy of the company and communicates it to all stakeholders.
• Recruits, hires, and retains the very best talent for the company.
• Makes sure there is always enough cash in the bank.

Source: What A CEO Does

• Create an environment for success: Do people like to come to work every day? When they get there, do they know what they’re supposed to do, and how it connects to the company’s mission? Are people learning and growing? Are you building an enduring organization beyond you as a leader?
• Nip problems in the bud, or prevent them entirely: Are you spending enough time thinking about your business’s vulnerabilities? Do you go into a dark cave of paranoia once in a while and make sure you’re cognizant of all the main potential threats to your livelihood? What can you do to spot smoke as an early warning detection of fire?
• Exploit big opportunities: Do you know the top 5 things that will make your company successful? Are you constantly on the lookout for signs that it’s time to invest more heavily in them? Are you nimble enough to make those investments when the time is right…and have you developed the intellectual or infrastructural underpinnings to make those investments matter?

Source: The Three Functions of a Management Team

These posts reminded me of the two main leadership roles I try to do everyday:

• Strategic role: set the context.
• Tactic role: remove obstacles.