Leadership Principle #17 – Principles of a Successful CEO
General decency and professional competitiveness aren’t mutually exclusive. That statement might surprise some people. However, over the course of my career, both as a highly successful, two-time CEO and now a CEO coach, I’ve learned that while winning is the goal, it’s more important to win the right way. This means how you lead others and the integrity you exhibit in your day-to-day work becomes mission-critical the higher you rise up the corporate ladder. Ultimately, the formula for success as CEO comes down to two key character traits that will define the trajectory of your career: grace and audacity.
When you finally land the CEO role, it’s important to ask yourself this question, “What am I doing that no one else but me can do?” You have highly skilled individuals below you on the org chart who are focused on executing, so it’s your job now to ensure everyone on the team has clarity, the right structure, resources, and alignment on expectations for growth and achievement. Because you are the one tasked with providing the vision and guidance for others, the way you lead and the character you demonstrate is more important than ever before.
Two particular attributes, grace and audacity, have a significant impact on your long-term success. When I talk about grace in this context, I mean humility, generosity, respectfulness, self-confidence and composure under pressure. How do you conduct yourself in large and small group settings? Do you value those around you? Are you respecting their opinions and letting them feel heard? If you’ve had the chance to work with a leader who truly exhibits grace, you know it right away. There is a kindness and decency within this individual that attracts loyalty from his or her employees. People will work harder for someone who exhibits grace.
Audacity is the courage to take risks, and demonstrate confidence under pressure. The CEO job is inevitability filled with difficult decisions, and you need to hone your ability to assess options, weigh the risks and make the hard choice, knowing you are accountable for the results. Audacity in leadership can lead to stunning success, and it can also be fraught with peril. The ability to know yourself, hold to your principles and lead with realistic optimism, even in the face of potential failure (or success), quickly reveals the true nature of a leader.
When success does come your way, are you able to remain humble and unchanged? This is where we circle back to grace. The combination of these two attributes is evident, not only in your business results, but also in the loyalty you gain at a company. If you were to leave your current organization, how many people would follow you? If you’ve done your job with grace and audacity, I guarantee you that people will want to follow you to the next organization and work for you again. That is real success, and a testament to your leadership principles.
The way you conduct yourself on a daily basis is an embodiment of your culture, and inspires confidence in your leadership abilities. This serves as a foundation for your employees so they believe the journey they are on is worth their time and effort. As I said in the beginning, it’s more than just winning, it’s winning the right way. Focusing on how you lead, with grace and audacity, will set you up for long-term success, and ultimately real fulfillment in life as well.
To learn how to develop these skills in your own career, contact me today for a conversation about my CEO coaching program.