5 Essential Skills to Reach Corner Office

Want to reach the Corner Office of your organization? Well, it may be easier than before provided you start early.

In my experience, I have had the opportunity to talk with multiple employees across companies and listen to their concerns.?

A question that people have repeatedly asked me is: What is it that the CEOs of top companies have that I don’t?

It is a valid question that is there in the minds of many employees.?

My understanding has led me to reach a valid answer to this question.?

The reason why an employee with years of struggle and hard work is able to reach the CEO position is that they work on the process of becoming a true asset to the company.?

Take the example of Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella, Pepsico’s former CEO Indra Nooyi, and Google’s CEO Sunder Pichai.?

All of them were able to advance to the CEO position at the companies where they worked because they proved to the company that they were an asset.

How do you become the company’s asset though??

How do you prove to the company that you are, in fact, an asset??

It’s simple. You become a true people leader.

The position of a CEO demands someone who has the vision and skills of a true leader.?

Satya Nadella, Indra Nooyi, and Sunder Pichai demonstrated excellent leadership qualities that helped them become the CEO.

Here are five skills that make a TRUE LEADER reach that Corner Office:

1. Ability to Challenge the Status Quo

A true leader is someone who will continuously seek innovative ways to grow, change, and improve the productivity and efficiency of the team.?

They are driven by the question of how to do IT better?

A Constant Change in the direction of progress is much better than a sense of stability

2. Inspire with a BIG Vision

A true leader is someone who has a clear sense of purpose about their goals and is able to inspire the team members to share the same vision.

Your Vision should be big enough to challenge & inspire you at the same time.

3. Empowering Others

Rather than using fear and authoritarianism to control others, a true leader ensures that the employees they are working with have the space to act with a certain degree of autonomy.

It’s not Authority but Autonomy in the organization that makes culture conducive to growth.

4. Cultured Way to Lead

Employees imitate what they learn from their leaders.?

Instead of preaching about the importance of trust and respect, a true leader leads by setting an example by behaving in the same way they want their employees to behave.

Don’t Tell, Show the Way!?

5. An Operator by Heart

A true leader always makes sure to acknowledge and value the work of their team members.?

Empathy and Emotional Intelligence are rooted in them and while they have a big vision to achieve, they are operating from the heart - a human-centric approach

Even if an employee’s contribution did not produce the desired outcome, a true leader will see a positive intention and be able to appreciate this.

Appreciate the efforts, encourage failure to innovate & empower with Empathy

So, which of these essential skills resonate with you!?

What else would you add to these 5 skills?

Let us know if you found these helpful !!