I don't think the author necessarily means being a CEO is an unworthy line of work. What he wants us to understand from this is that it's futile deriving one's worth from the fact that he's the CEO and that he has the ability to boss other people around, but instead he must seek worthiness from the fact that he has the potential to bring about significant change in this world; more than most people could, because like you said, he is not just some "cog in the wheel", but someone who is in charge of many like-minded people who belive in him.