Prime yourself for the CEO position

You want the top spot and often dream of being at the helm of affairs. You want to join the ranks of Jack Welch, Bill Gates, Mukesh Ambani and our own Raghav Sahgal. In other words, you aspire to be the CEO.

But, what does it take to advance to the topmost rung of the ladder?
What are the essential requirements for becoming a successful head of the company?

Well, as we all know, becoming the Chief Executive Officer’ is no laughing matter.
There is no actual ‘CEO certification’ or any particular training as such, and yet one does need to prepare for the top job from early on.

What’s your motivation?

Do not be blinded by the illusions of power, glitz, glamour and money. There is much more to a CEO beyond the dazzling mahogany desks, corner offices and private jets. In fact, these privileges are just the icing on the cake. Ponder on the major factors like whether you can lead people of crisis and direct then towards change. Can you remain level headed enough and not let the power go to your head?
Will you be able to deal with the sense of isolation that is direct spin=off of being first in command.

Getting there:

The journey to the CEO’s chair is a long and arduous one. Acquiring sound academic qualifications is just the beginning.
You have to earn the job through years of diligence and varying experiences that you can draw on from time to time.
Back yourself up with a string of professional milestones and a proven record of success under adversity.
Occupying a general management position will impart a good foundation for the big role. Also, start thinking like a successful chief executive before you become one1 you need a very different outlook and approach from the run-of the mill manager or even executive.

A bag full of….

No one can deny that future CEO’s are judged against a different yardstick. So, arm yourself with a gamut of well-rounded competencies, skills and experience that will separate you from the rest of the pack. Apart from the generic managerial skills, you also need

Ø Operational acumen:

A strong sense of technical expertise, market and customer knowledge, financial know-how and analytical intelligence is necessary to understand the cash flows, capital generation and manage the regular functioning aspects of the business.


As Jeffrey Fox emphasizes in his path-breaking book, How to Become A CEO: The Rules For Rising To The Top Of Any Organisation,”Perceive the fundamental leadership issues that influence business decisions and the habits of mind needed to achieve success in business”.

Ø Think big:

Focus on the big picture and concentrate on serious issues like defining clear-cut objectives, designing strategies and executing policies. However, you cannot afford to lose sight of the nitty-gritty details either. Also strike the right balance between being a visionary and getting things done through people.

Ø Interpersonal skills:

Learning how to deal with human capital is a crucial component of the basic CEO skill set. Be a good communicator who can build open dialogue and interactions with the employees, stakeholders, customers and vendor alike. The ability to continuously articulate and champion a convincing vision alone can get people excited to work on it.

Ø Decisiveness:

A CEO needs to identify problems quickly and put out the fire after the other. Also, make immediate decisions after thinking things through carefully from different perspectives. Demonstrate a willingness to take risks and pounce on the opportunities without needless dilly-dallying.



Ø Picking up the torch:

Forget the lackadaisical attitude; you need to take the initiate and make things happen with creativity, persistence and determination. This will stand you in good stead right from the willingness to take the lead deploying core competencies to deal with crises and finally delivering the objectives.


Ø Walk the talk:

A proactive leader wins any day, so do not be afraid to get your hands dirt. As you rise higher on the ladder, instead of watching from the sidelines, roll up yourselves and contribute whole-heartedly. Also, adopt a questioning approach and the flexibility to change with the times.


Ø Perspective:

Topping the list of CEO competencies is the shrewd ability to develop a brilliant team by identifying top talent and nurturing existing ones.


Ø Charisma:

A special magnetism separates the best leaders from the herd of wannabes. This should be accompanied by a silent confidence in one’s abilities, patience, dedications, discipline, passion to lead and loads of ethical integrity.


Ø Accountability:

The buck stops with the CEO. Build the impetus to shoulder great responsibilities without any scope of passing the blame. Be willing to take unqualified responsibility for all things good and bad.


Ø Emotional competence:

Apart from being insightful, success also calls for an empathetic leadership to mobilize people and deliver value. “The emotional aspect of business cannot be overemphasized. If you don’t bring emotional leadership qualities with you, you will have hard time. Eventually the choice of who gets to be CEO often know and understand people and what kind of opinion other people have about you”.


Good luck, future CEOs…………………..