There is some truth to the saying- it is lonely at the top. Part of this stems from the fact that as a top leader you need to possess skills and train yourself in ways that will separate you from others convincingly.
The world’s top CEOs running billion-dollar organizations do not stop improving themselves once they reach the pinnacle of the corporate ladder. On the other hand, they are constantly learning, developing, and honing their skills one way or the other.
In this article, we speak to some of the world’s top headhunters (people who recruit at the highest levels) and ask them about the top personality traits that every CEO should possess.
Why is it Important for CEOs to Constantly Push Themselves to Improve?
The world of trade and commerce is highly competitive. One slow move and some other competitor takes a decisive advantage amounting to billions. As leaders helming their organizations, CEOs need to be at the top of their game 24x7x365!
Whether it be professional skills or sharp personal informal skills, CEOs need to always ensure the commanding position and lead from the front to take the organization into newer heights.
One of the major economic and financial challenges that businesses have faced has been because of the Coronavirus Pandemic. With ‘Work From Home’ (WFH) becoming the new normal, businesses have had to adapt themselves accordingly.
Exploring newer areas of financial success, cutting wasteful expenditure, moving towards new tech and digital platforms, and realtering sales cycles have all meant that a CEOs role is as important as it was ever before.
List of the Top 5 Personality Traits that every CEO should possess in 2021
Improved Communication Skills
Traditionally, companies have always opted for CEOs that have exhibited great communication skills. However, with a changing new economic reality, the type and levels of communications required have drastically altered. This includes business communications as well as intra-organizational communication.
If you are a CEO looking to enhance your skills with Global Speech Academy, you will understand that the world of business and finance is increasingly moving towards an empathetic model of communication. This is making businesses more human in the post-pandemic era.
Affinity to Tech Adoption and Digital Platforms
CEOs should be at the forefront of introducing and maintaining a tech-first culture within organizations. This is because the usage and aggressive adoption of technologies and digital platforms can give businesses a significant edge in these present times.
From automating business processes to maintaining task assignment workflows within organizations, adopting tech can lead to improved efficiency, quicker turnaround times and much more. It can also help improve operations at various touchpoints, including optimizing for digital performance on search engines and social media platforms.
Mental Fortitude for handling Pressures
Being a CEO is not an easy task. You have to answer to everyone from the founders of a company to shareholders, government representatives and many other entities. You also need to ensure profitability, lead innovation, reach new customers and branch out to newer markets.
Handling, managing and addressing many things at the same time is bound to take a toll on mental health. This is why the best CEOs start their day with some light form of meditation, do Yoga and eat healthily. They also do regular mental health exercises to keep their brains sharp and effective.
Empathy, Understanding and People Skills
Ask any of the most successful leaders in the world of commerce about the primary role of a CEO and they are likely to say it is all about looking after the employees in an organization. With greater respect for individualities, empathy is emerging as a strong leadership skill in recent times.
CEOs and business leaders are expected to exercise empathy and understanding in handling employees, vendors, and customers. Having a patient mind to understand problems and issues and then delegating tasks and responsibilities among the various teams is what makes a good CEO rise to the ranks of being a great one!
Balancing Informed Risks with Realistic Optimism
The last thing you would want in a CEO is to be pessimistic. However, you also do not want someone to be blind to all the risks. In this case, you want a balance or a blend between someone who is willing to take calculated risks. He or she should also be optimistic with regards to the future of the business and its strategies.
Like most of the pointers in the article, this is a personality trait that does not come easy. In fact, it has to be cultivated with experience, discipline and commitment, not only towards the organization but also towards an individual. Many B-schools try to emphasize on the same by illustrating successful case studies from the world of business and finance.
How a CEO is expected to Lead an Organization and Foster Collaboration?
We have already mentioned that the Coronavirus pandemic has thrown up newer challenges in front of business organizations. CEOs need to lead from the front and focus on promoting collaborations between different teams and individuals to help the company grow.
- According to business analysts at Forbes, brevity is something that most CEOs need to focus on in the changed reality of things. Keeping things short, simple and precise ensures that there is no room for misconception or miscommunication.
- Others point to the fact that leading a successful organization cannot be done by one single individual alone. It is a collaborative work model that should be led by one person, but others need to be important stakeholders in the scheme of things.
- Many sharp employees (sometimes from the lower ranks) have great inputs to make. In such instances, a CEO needs to come across as someone who is approachable. Fostering this positivity in the office can allow for new ideas to come up from literally anywhere.
The Bottom Line
The constant strives to become better is the hallmark of some of the world’s top CEOs and business leaders. They acknowledge the fact where they need to improve and do everything possible to remedy the situation.