CEO TRAITS

Steps to becoming a CEO
by Jo Blitz Escotal



If you aspire to achieve success in your career, then check out the many qualities you will need to acquire in order to make it to the top. If you ever wondered why would you want to become a CEO, it's because CEO's make the most money and it's one of the most rewarding thing you can do in life. The bottom line is, if you're at the top of any organization you are the captain of the boat.

Here are some paths to become a CEO

1. Start a Company and become the CEO

2. Inheret the Company and be groomed to become the CEO

3. Be voted by the Board of Directors or be appointed to become the CEO of the company

4. Work for a company and climb up the ladder and eventually become the CEO

5. Buy a company and become the CEO

Here are some of the qualities you are going to need to become a CEO

1. Be a leader
Successful people are often leaders. Lead by example,(Jack Welch, Michael Dell, Meg Whitman, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Oprah Winfrey and many more..) are examples of great leaders.

2. Be Positive
Successful people who want to be CEO's are positive. They are driven by success. "I think therefore I am" as the great philosopher Descartes stated. Microsoft, Wal-Mart, Ikea are all companies started by positive people with the desire to become number one.

3. Think BIG
The higher you move up the ladder, the more complex the decisions. Thus, it only follows that you will have to think things through much more carefully and thoroughly, as each decision can potentially affect the whole organization in drastic ways. You have to think BIG. Apple and HP were started in a garage, Microsoft in a motel room, Dell in a dorm room and I started mine in my old bedroom where I grew up in my parents house. (It was low overhead). But the founder and CEO's of each of this companies had the dream of becoming BIG.

4. Desire to succeed
To become a CEO you sometimes have to start from the bottom and work your way up, but never forget your mission is to become successful. It takes alot of skills and ability to see a business evolve where nothing existed beforehand.

5. Pay attention to details
Pay attention to the details; small mistakes add up quickly. As an aspiring CEO you have to be aware of all the details that is needed to run a successful company. Think accounting, marketing, finance, computers, dealing with people, time management etc...

6. Be Competitive
The law of business states that only the strong survive. Remember with competition if you are truly the best then you will be very successful. No one ever remembers the silver medallist or the Super Bowl runner up.

7. Work with People
A big part of your success will consist of learning how to interact with others and how to manage human capital in order to make the most of the organization's resources. Make it a point to work on your people skills as much as possible because at the top, almost all your time will be spent dealing with people.

8. Work Hard
CEO's are hard workers. (At least most of them) You do not get to the top without alot of sacrifices. Running a business is not a jog in the park. You must put alot of hours to get the job done. Always be first to come to work and the last to leave work.

9. Integrity
Honesty Is the Best Policy, if you wanted to become a crook, you would've joined the mob. If you are in business, your reputation counts for a lot so be sure to be ethical in your dealings with your co-workers and clients. It takes years to build your reputation and a minute to destroy it.

10. Make Money
Your company exist to provide a need or a want. As the CEO your job is to capitalize on this. The great CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Warren Buffett states that in business the first and foremost rule is to never lose money and he always followed that statement with the second rule which is never forget rule number one. In a capitalist society like ours your main function as a CEO is to make money for yourself, the company, board of directors and your clients.

There are many other qualities, in which a CEO must have in order to succeed. Hopefully this article will give you the jumpstart needed in becoming a CEO.