When many people are asked what they consider to be a successful career, the large majority of them will reel off ‘power, money and respect’ as their answers. Were you to ask them what kind of job could command such riches, most would give you the same answer, a CEO.
Chief executive officers like the successful Ram Chary are the envy of many, they head up the largest companies in the World making daily decision that affect millions, they feature in magazines and TV shows and of course, they are amongst some of the richest people in the World.
Not everyone has what it takes to go on to become a CEO and if it is something that you are seriously thinking about aiming for then here are some things which you should be asking yourself first.
Are You Committed?
No CEO on the planet got to where they are without having incredible levels of commitment to what they were doing. In all aspects of your life you should be the most energetic, dedicated and committed person in the room and if you expect to get to the dizzying heights of CEO then you should be this way 254 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Thick Skinned?
People who rise up through a business to get to the point of CEO simply have to have thick skins, throughout this journey you will face setbacks, criticisms and people who lack faith. It will be your responsibility to overcome all of this and rise to the top. Thick skin is something which you need sooner rather than later.
Can You Work Under Pressure?
To be considered for promotions throughout your career you will need to tell people exactly how good you are in order for them to believe in you and you should operate as though you are already running the company, even when you’re on the bottom rung of the career ladder. All of this will bring with it great pressure on your results and you need to be able to handle this pressure and deliver consistently strong results, not just once, but throughout your career.
Are You a Forward Thinker?
No CEO got to where they are today by standing still and the very best CEOs are also some of the World’s most forward thinking people. You will be responsible for the success of an entire company and in order to keep it pushing for growth and more success, you need to be able to concentrate on the now and keep one eye on the future. This forward thinking approach not only helps CEOs to grow their company and gain more market share but it also helps to prepare the company for any storms on the horizon. If you truly want to be a CEO then you need to work on thinking ahead.
If the answer is yes to all of these questions then you could very well have what it takes to go on to become a CEO, the job is difficult to attain but if you stay optimistic then you never know what you can achieve.