The CEO admits that for around 20% of the time, his job is filled with “things that drive you nuts and things you can’t solve.”
“I just think as leaders, you have to be optimistic. You have to have a winning attitude,” Sheridan said.
“Otherwise, no one’s going to follow you. Your customers aren’t going to follow you. Your employees aren’t going to follow you, and your owners are probably going to scratch their head and say, what’s going on here?”
While Sheridan reveals that striking the right balance between optimism and realism is difficult, he says it’s mission-critical for leaders.
“One of the things that I think a lot about in my role is keeping my head above the clouds to see the future—but staying grounded enough in the dirt and the mud to know what’s going on,” he added.
He’s not the first to shout out about the importance of positivity: Other business leaders say it’s the very trait that can help aspiring executives stand out from the crowd.
But this moment has been one that’s 27 years in the making for Sheridan; in fact, this is the only company he’s called home for his entire career, starting in 1998 when he began his journey in account sales and marketing.
Over the years, Sheridan rose in the ranks by riding the promotion train every two to three years before becoming COO in 2019—and soon after landing the top job.
