What I Wish I’d Known as a First-Time CEO
30 September 2025
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When I stepped into my first CEO role at a charity here in Northern Ireland, I thought I had to have all the answers. I
At Lead with Mack, we bring insight, clarity, and energy to help CEOs and senior
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Charlie Mack, our approach blends experience, authenticity, and the unique MACK
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M - Motivational
A - Authentic, Ambition-Oriented
C –Collaborative, Creative
K – Key
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need to align. Our services are designed to meet those moments — from personal
mentoring to organisational transformation.
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Over the past two years or so I’ve worked with Charlie and his leadership team. In my experience of Charlie, he’s the kind of leader you really want to have; authentic, inspirational, courageous, supportive, consistent and ambitious. As an Org Design and Leadership Specialist, Charlie also showed up as the ideal client, demonstrating commitment and enthusiasm intertwined with appropriate challenge. It has been a true pleasure to work you Charlie!!Over the past two years or so I’ve worked with Charlie and his leadership team. In my experience of Charlie, he’s the kind of leader you really want to have; authentic, inspirational, courageous, supportive, consistent and ambitious. As an Org Design and Leadership Specialist, Charlie also showed up as the ideal client, demonstrating commitment and enthusiasm intertwined with appropriate challenge. It has been a true pleasure to work you Charlie!!
Charlie is an incredible leader of people showing exceptional personal values in supporting individuals and organisations to thrive and deliver world class services. He recognises the importance of leadership in developing and empowering his people to be the best they can be. He is willing to challenge the norm to deliver better services and continually seeks to find new evidence base to continually improve. He is an extremely supportive and appropriately challenging leader that wants the best for everyone. Having had the pleasure of working with him for the past 3years I couldn’t recommended him more. Charlie is an incredible leader of people showing exceptional personal values in supporting individuals and organisations to thrive and deliver world class services. He recognises the importance of leadership in developing and empowering his people to be the best they can be. He is willing to challenge the norm to deliver better services and continually seeks to find new evidence base to continually improve. He is an extremely supportive and appropriately challenging leader that wants the best for everyone. Having had the pleasure of working with him for the past 3years I couldn’t recommended him more.
Charlie is a gifted CEO who has consistently been able to both grow non-profit sector organisations considerably, whilst simultaneously making their staff teams and service-users a priority. He 'gets' the strategic imperative and acts with integrity to bring the team responsible for implementing it on board. I have rarely met someone so skilled at balancing people, commercial and regulatory matters, but Charlie seems to accomplish this in his stride, whilst being eminently likeable and human. I would recommend his talents and skills in the strongest possible terms to any organisation requiring positive leadership and achievement of outcomes only hoped for. Charlie is a gifted CEO who has consistently been able to both grow non- profit sector organisations considerably, whilst simultaneously making their staff teams and service-users a priority. He 'gets' the strategic imperative and acts with integrity to bring the team responsible for implementing it on board. I have rarely met someone so skilled at balancing people, commercial and regulatory matters, but Charlie seems to accomplish this in his stride, whilst being eminently likeable and human. I would recommend his talents and skills in the strongest possible terms to any organisation requiring positive leadership and achievement of outcomes only hoped for.
When I stepped into my first CEO role at a charity here in Northern Ireland, I thought I had to have all the answers. I
Charlie is an inspirational and passionate leader. His energy and enthusiasm for Cranstoun's work motivated staff and brought people together to work towards a common goal, creating a positive culture and working environment. Charlie is skilled at connecting with people at every level of the organisation, recognising the contribution of each and every staff member and volunteer, so they felt valued and driven to succeed.Charlie is an inspirational and passionate leader. His energy and enthusiasm for Cranstoun's work motivated staff and brought people together to work towards a common goal, creating a positive culture and working environment. Charlie is skilled at connecting with people at every level of the organisation, recognising the contribution of each and every staff member and volunteer, so they felt valued and driven to succeed.