Top Ten Skill Sets of Most Business Owners & CEOs
Business owners and CEOs are often expected to be a jack of all trades as they lead their companies. But are there some skills that are more important than others for leading a company? Here is a look at the top ten skill sets successful business owners and CEOs should possess.
Communicator. Business owners and CEOs need to be able to effectively communicate with their staff, their clients, their investors, the public and anyone else with a vested interest in the company. Through communication they need to be able to inspire people to action and communicate the vision of the company.
Collaboration. Leading a business requires interacting with a number of people who often will have competing interests. Business owners & CEOs need to be skilled collaborators to encourage different teams of people to work together for the greater good of the company.
Resilience. Being at the top can be lonely. The highs and lows of successes and failures can be more extreme than for the average worker within the company. So it is imperative that a leader develop their resilience to be able to withstand the difficult situations.
Listener. Not only does a leader need to be a strong communicator, but sometimes that means you stop talking and simply listen. Listening with empathy can help you understand the needs of the various people connected to the company.
Passion. It takes a lot of work to lead a company and without passion, leaders can quickly burn out. Without passion for the mission and vision for the company, the long hours and heavy responsibilities can become a burden to carry instead of a challenge to overcome.
Delegation. A strong leader knows they aren’t able to do everything. Instead they find ways to delegate certain tasks, outsource other tasks, eliminate some tasks and focus on doing the things that only they are capable of doing.
Creative. Leading can require you to think outside-the-box for solutions and ways to grow the company. Being able to think creatively allows you to set yourself apart from the competition.
Approachability. Regardless of whether they have a success to celebrate or a problem to solve, their team needs to feel comfortable approaching the leader. Without this approachability situations can be left unresolved and successes aren’t repeated.
Risk Taker. If you keep doing what you’ve always done you will keep getting the same results you’ve always gotten. Sometimes leaders need to step up and take calculated risks.Authentic. People are more inclined to follow someone they feel is genuine and authentic. Leading with authenticity inspires others to join you in moving toward the desired future.
