Risk Taker
Being at the top means making the decisions and some of those need to be calculated risks. Admirable as it may be to maintain a business and keep it steady on an ever-similar plateau of profit the CEOs who are most successful are those who know how to grow their business. You don’t want to be a safe pair of hands steadying the ship the whole time, there has to be some dynamism to the company’s system. Direction is your department and so taking a few risks can throw up the possibility of proper profits.
Organisation
If it’s your company, you should probably know what’s going on in it at all times. Now, there is a fine line between being organised and micro-managing your staff and if you don’t display a level of trust in your workers you may not find the time that there is so little of to begin with as a CEO. Having information at your fingertips is so important because you could be called to involve yourself in any aspect of the company’s daily running.
Passion
There have been various studies on how many people hate their jobs, with figures ranging from 50% to a staggering 85% according to a poll by Gallup. To be a great CEO you must be in the minority who absolutely love their job. Do you think Mark Zuckerberg or Richard Branson dread going into work each day? They love their company and want to see it succeed. This is beneficial for the company, you can see when something is made or done with love, it shows because the Is end up dotted and the Ts crossed, it’s just a natural outcome when someone loves their work.
Emotional Intelligence
There’s a lot to be said for emotional intelligence. Being able to sympathise with another’s situation is useful for a myriad of ways. Primarily, though, you can use it to maintain a happy company, by making sure all employees are well-looked after. A happy workplace is a productive workplace and this will show if those who work under you feel listened to and valued. It also helps when negotiating because you’ll know how to navigate people’s feelings and to be blunt you’re much more likely to get what you want if you haven’t upset them while you ask.
Curious
Curiosity may have killed the cat but it is unlikely to even maim the CEO. No need to fact check that statement. Honestly, though it’s a good idea to always be asking questions about your business which can lend perspective when you come up against a wall. Always try and probe for deeper truths and they can aid you and inform your business model. There is no such thing as knowing too much.
