The 10 Traits of a Successful CEO
According to me, the following are the 10 traits that a successful CEO must possess:
- Leadership: Leadership is the ability to influence others positively. A great CEO has to be a good leader who positively influences his employees. The bigger the influence and the greater the impact he creates, the more successful will he be as a CEO.
- People-Centric: To be a successful CEO, one has to be people-centric. By people-centric, what I mean is that decisions have to be taken by the CEO in the right spirit, keeping the interests of his employees and subordinates in mind at all times and without harming them.
- Focused and Goal-Oriented: A CEO should always be highly focused in achieving his goals and never be distracted or bogged down by petty issues.
- Long-Term Vision: A successful CEO must always?possess a long-term vision of what he aspires to achieve, and all his decisions must take precedence to long-term over short-term. To achieve this, he needs to do effective planning.
- Never-Say-Die Attitude: A CEO must have never-say-die attitude and always exude positivity in thoughts, words and actions. As the saying goes, "It is the attitude that determines one's altitude in life." He must never give up, whatever the circumstances and keep fighting till the end.
- Patience: To be a successful CEO, one must have patience with whatever one does and must not be restless. One cannot grow ahead of time or surpass time. It is patience that pays when circumstances are against you.
- On-The-Feet Thinking: A successful CEO must possess the ability to think on his feet. He should be able to take quick and firm decisions, as and when the situation warrants or demands.
- Think From the Heart: While a CEO needs to think through the mind and be highly analytical, he more importantly needs to think from the heart, and synchronize his heart and mind, and strike the right balance to achieve the impossible. Thinking from the heart implies the ability to connect with others emotionally and empathize with them.
- Sang-Froid Nature: A CEO must be very calm even in the most troubled of times. He should be unperturbed by any calamity of any magnitude and possess a steely resolve. It is this ability to stay calm in troubled times that will ensure clear thinking that will enable him to overcome such troubled times successfully.
- High-Octane Energy: Last but not the least, a successful CEO must possess high-octane energy, which should be infectious among his staff. He should be highly dynamic and possess the ability to magnetize whomever he meets.
