[The CEO's Right Hand] (2) Why the Startup No. 2 Breaks Down: The 'Structural Loneliness' and Distorted Decision-Making Beside the CEO
The No. 2 does not break down because of their ability.
They break down because of the structure.
Every day, I repeated the same thing.
In the morning, I check the bank account.
At night, I check it again.
The numbers don't change much.
Even so,
the balance is steadily decreasing.
In my head, I am constantly calculating.
This month's payments,
next month's payroll,
the gap in incoming payments.
I know the conclusion.
If things continue like this, we will hit a wall somewhere.
Even so, I cannot say it.
If I tell the employees, anxiety will spread.
Even if I confront the CEO directly,
they might just say, 'We can still make it.'
So, I swallow it.
I act as if nothing is wrong.
In meetings, I talk about positive things.
I tell the team, 'It's okay.'
But inside, I know.
It is not okay.
I was always alone in my thinking.
Where to cut,
what to stop,
how to prolong our survival.
The options decrease over time.
Even so, I cannot stop.
Because the moment I stop, it's over.
What happens in this state is not fatigue
Distortion of judgment
Priorities shift.
The perception of risk changes.
Decision-making slows down.
And then you realize.
This is not a temporary problem
It is a structural problem
---
The No. 2 knows everything
Cash balance
The reality of sales
Organizational distortions
Visible risks
They possess the most information.
But at the same time
they cannot talk to anyone.
The information is there. But it cannot be organized
It cannot be shared.
It cannot be viewed objectively.
So what happens?
Thinking closes inward
Is this decision correct?
Are there still other moves to make?
Where did I go wrong?
Repeating the same questions.
Entering a negative spiral
Thinking
becoming anxious
thinking more
becoming even more anxious
If this state continues
the accuracy of judgment drops.
And
the loneliness deepens.
---
The No. 2 is always caught in the middle
The CEO's perspective (the future)
The frontline's perspective (the reality)
They hold both at the same time.
And they switch between them repeatedly.
What happens here
The axis of judgment wavers
What was correct a moment ago
looks wrong a few hours later.
Priorities blur.
The perception of risk changes.
And
Decision-making becomes distorted
This is not a matter of ability.
Structurally, it happens.
Furthermore, another structure
All vectors converge on the No. 2
Visible from the frontline
Close to management
Also acting as a coordinator
Therefore,
Dissatisfaction,
delays,
and misalignments
all flow toward them.
Even if it is fundamentally a structural issue,
it is handled as a No. 2 issue.
What happens here
Responsibility becomes concentrated
And the organization gets the wrong idea
That making responsibility ambiguous
is the optimal solution.
It's unclear who decided it.
It's unclear who is responsible.
At first glance, friction decreases.
But the reality is the opposite.
Decision-making stops.
Judgment is delayed.
No one takes responsibility.
Problems are left unaddressed.
---
All the strain falls on the No. 2
Adjusting, supplementing, and constantly filling the gaps
The structural distortion
becomes a state absorbed by the individual
Why do they break down?
The conclusion is simple
Because it is designed as a role
Information gathers.
Judgment is required.
But the position is in the middle.
In this structure,
loneliness is unavoidable.
Distortion will also inevitably occur
---
Conclusion
The No. 2 breaks down
It is not a matter of ability;
the organizational structure breaks the No. 2
And
The higher the ability,
the more they take it as their own responsibility
They perceive structural problems
as their own errors in judgment.
This leads to further exhaustion
Beside the CEO,
holding information,
making decisions,
and continuing to coordinate
As long as they fulfill that role
loneliness and distortion occur as a set
Breaking down is inevitable.
---
Next time
What exactly does the CEO's right hand do?
I will write about the practical aspects of 'executive management'.