CEO Rhetorical Evolution: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Leadership Discourse Transformation Across Career Trajectories

This study explores the rhetorical evolution of CEOs across four career stages: establishment, Growth, Maturity, and Legacy, using a longitudinal qualitative content analysis of 20 CEOs (10 male, 10 female). Drawing on metadiscourse theory, the research examines how CEOs construct leadership through shifts in authority, risk communication, stakeholder engagement, and scope of influence. Findings reveal clear stage-specific rhetorical patterns, with male CEOs tending toward competitive, visionary, and philosophically reflective discourse, while female CEOs emphasize collaboration, stakeholder integration, and societal transformation. Metadiscourse analysis shows that self-mention dominates in both groups, but female CEOs employ more engagement markers, indicating greater audience alignment. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of gendered leadership discourse and how rhetorical authority is negotiated over time. The study also provides a framework for analyzing leadership narratives and offers insights into leadership development, succession planning, and gender equity in executive communication. By tracing how rhetorical voice evolves, the research sheds light on how leadership is discursively constructed at the highest levels of organizational life.