I think the point here isn't just that the CEO was performing a mundane task, but that he was doing work that had to get done, even though it wasn't a desirable task. There was a giant pile of dishes - he cleaned them. The dishes were the thing that needed to get done.

If he does it just once, I question his motives. This repeated behavior shows his true conviction.

CEO's need to lead; exceptional behavior creates a buzz. This is morale building advice, not socialism.

His motive? to show that no one is too good to do the hard stuff. Its a stunt, but its a lesson too. Everybody will get that.

Honest question: Is it still considered a stunt if nobody even knows that he's doing it? From the post, it seemed like he was just taking care of it with no fanfare or mention to the other employees.

Part of being a good boss is removing barriers so your staff can be productive. So I'd say it's not a stunt at all.

Like Macaulay said, "The measure of a man's real character is what he would do if he knew he never would be found out."

For me, CEOs also need to enable their staff to produce their best performance. If the dirty dishes are getting in the way and the staff are honestly pushing to the limit elsewhere, IMHO it's a sensible enabling behaviour for the short term at least, regardless of who sees it.

I know if I have a busy few days and the housework starts piling up my heart sinks a little when I get in and see the task ahead; I'm quite sure it'd be the same in an office if I had that problem. That can just as easily be the point of this sort of action.