President (corporate title) facts for kids

A president is a top leader in many different groups. This could be a school club, a sports team, a company, or even a country. Their main job is to guide the group and make important decisions.

Sometimes, a president works with other leaders like a CEO or a COO. The exact role of a president can change a lot. It depends on how the group is set up and what its rules are. Often, the president is a very high-ranking officer. They are usually above other leaders like vice presidents. However, in some companies, the CEO might have more power than the president.

What Does a President Do?

The powers of a president are different for each group. In some groups, the president can hire people and decide how money is spent. In others, the president might only suggest ideas to a group of leaders called a board of directors. Sometimes, a president mainly acts as a spokesperson, just speaking for the group.

A president leading a meeting for a small volunteer group. The president is at the left side of the table.

Leading Meetings

A big part of a president's job is to lead meetings. This means they:

• Start the meeting on time.
• Check if enough people are there for the meeting to be official.
• Announce what topics will be discussed.
• Decide who gets to speak.
• Make sure everyone follows the group's rules.
• Ask the group to vote on ideas.
• End the meeting.

When leading a meeting, the president should be fair to everyone. They usually don't interrupt people who are speaking. In small groups, the president can vote like everyone else. But in larger groups, they usually only vote if their vote will change the outcome. A president only gets one vote, just like any other member.

History of the Title

The word president first meant someone who was in charge, like a foreman or overseer. You can still hear it used this way sometimes. Over time, it also came to mean the main leader in charge of a group's daily tasks or big decisions.

What if a President Makes Mistakes?

If a president does something wrong or doesn't do their job, there can be consequences. These might include a warning, a temporary removal, or even being completely removed from their position. The rules of the group explain how these steps are taken. Usually, the people who chose or elected the president are the ones who can take action against them.

Other President Roles

Some groups have other special roles related to the president.

President-Elect

A president-elect is someone who has been chosen to be the next president. When the current president's time is over, the president-elect automatically becomes the new president.

Immediate Past President

Some groups also have an immediate past president. This is the person who just finished being president. This role exists only if the group's rules allow it. The rules also explain what this person's duties are.

Life President

A life president is an honorary title. It's often given to someone who has served the group for a very long time. They usually had a very important role in the past.