I’m the CEO of a self-improvement app, and I hired someone on my board to argue with me
Oleksandr Matsiuk, CEO of RiseGuide, explains his strategy of hiring outspoken employees and a board member specifically tasked with challenging his decisions. He argues that this system provides the honest feedback necessary for a CEO to grow and improve company performance.
Why it matters
This highlights the importance of psychological safety and constructive dissent in corporate governance and leadership development.
Oleksandr Matsiuk hired outspoken employees and a board member who would challenge him to get honest feedback as a CEO. Courtesy of RiseGuide Oleksandr Matsiuk found that CEOs can struggle to get honest feedback. Matsiuk hired outspoken employees and a board member who would challenge him. Matsiuk found that measuring outputs can be more helpful than measuring outcomes. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Oleksandr "Alex" Matsiuk, cofounder and CEO of RiseGuide, an expert-powered microlearning app. The company has grown to 110 employees across 12 countries since its founding in 2024. The essay has been edited for length and clarity. Becoming the CEO of a fast-growing company created a problem I hadn't anticipated: Nobody was responsible for telling me how to improve. I decided that if honest feedback wasn't reaching me naturally, I needed to build a system that would deliver it.
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