The Role of a CEO- Learning from the best!

The role of a CEO is complex and demanding, requiring a diverse range of skills and qualities in order to lead a company effectively. While no two CEOs are the same, there are certain skills and abilities that are essential for success in this role. In this article, I will explore the top skills that CEOs should have in order to lead their organizations to success. I've learned a lot on the job leading TribalScale but I've also been fortunate enough to surround myself with many CEOs in my network and most recently with 167 CEO's at Harvard Business School. Here are some lessons I have learned along the way:

1. Strategic thinking and decision making: A CEO must be able to think strategically about the long-term direction of the company and make informed decisions based on data and analysis. This includes understanding the competitive landscape, assessing market conditions, and developing and implementing effective strategies.
2. Leadership and management: As the leader of an organization, a CEO must have strong leadership and management skills in order to inspire and motivate employees, create a positive and productive work culture, and make difficult decisions. Im a firm believer the best CEO is the one who creates a tribe of leaders within the organization.
3. Financial management: A CEO must also have a strong understanding of financial management, including the ability to analyze financial statements, create budgets and forecast financial performance, and make informed financial decisions based on data.
4. Communication: Effective communication is essential for a CEO in order to clearly convey the company's vision and goals to employees, shareholders, and other stakeholders. This includes the ability to speak and write clearly and effectively, as well as the ability to listen and understand the perspectives of others.
5. Adaptability: The business world is constantly changing, and a CEO must be able to adapt to new situations and challenges as they arise. This includes the ability to be flexible and open to new ideas, as well as the ability to quickly pivot and change course when necessary.
6. Problem-solving: A CEO must have strong problem-solving skills in order to identify and address challenges and obstacles that the company may face. This includes the ability to think creatively and come up with innovative solutions to complex problems.
7. Collaboration: A CEO must be able to work effectively with a diverse range of individuals, including employees, customers, partners, and investors. This includes the ability to build and maintain strong relationships, as well as the ability to collaborate and work as part of a team.
8. Innovation: In today's fast-paced and highly competitive business environment, a CEO must be able to drive innovation and stay ahead of the curve. This includes the ability to identify and pursue new opportunities, as well as the ability to foster a culture of innovation within the organization.
9. Risk management: A CEO must also be able to identify and manage risks that the company may face. This includes understanding how to assess and mitigate potential risks, as well as the ability to make informed decisions about when to take calculated risks in pursuit of growth and success.
10. Ethical leadership: As the leader of an organization, a CEO must serve as a role model and set the tone for ethical behavior within the company. This includes upholding the company's values and principles, as well as demonstrating integrity and honesty in all interactions. This also involves making ethical decisions not only for your customers but staff.
11. Controls - adopting the right controls for your staff to operate to complete the mission is important. Expressing these controls must be clear and concise to the organization as to why they exist so employees can make the right decisions.
12. Work Hard - The best CEO's don't stop working. The work is their life and they don't look at the task at hand as work but rather a mission. There are many articles about work life balance but the truth is the best CEO's I have met are all workaholics. Everything they do is about their business.
13. Keep Healthy - They focus on their health. The top performers realize they need to be healthy in order to provide for the organization they lead. They work out, eat healthy, get good sleep and meditate.
14. Process Oriented - A process-oriented CEO is one who focuses on optimizing and improving the processes and systems within an organization in order to achieve efficiency and effectiveness. This type of CEO is concerned with understanding how work is done within the company and identifying ways to streamline and improve those processes in order to achieve desired outcomes.
15. Obsessed with outcomes - the best CEO's are obsessed with goals and attaining them. They don't try to boil the ocean all at once but are methodical in creating goals that the team can achieve. It's important for them to share this with the entire organization and celebrate the win and debrief when things are not going well to change course.

The role of a CEO is complex and demanding, requiring a diverse range of skills and abilities in order to lead a company effectively. By focusing on the development of these top skills, a CEO can set themselves up for success and drive their organization towards growth and success.