Being a CEO, CFO, or COO, is not a job many people will be able to handle. Opposed to a business owner who may be responsible for 100 employees, to have any of these job titles would mean you are in charge of thousands of employees and lower-level senior management. In addition, it will be tricky to understand how to be a company leader when in some instances, it was not your overall leadership skills which helped you get the position. For example, some CEOs may have started in the textile industry but now find themselves in the healthcare sector. They are different sectors and sectors which require different leadership skills. However, there are fundamental skills which transcend any industry and are of immense help to people with the top jobs in a corporation.
Below we will speak about what it takes to be a company’s CEO, CFO, or COO.
What does a CEO, CFO, or COO need to be a good leader?
Now with you being in a high-level position like a COO, the skills needed to be a good leader have become slightly different. It now becomes necessary to be aware of far more things and lead a staff of far greater size. Of course, things like setting a good example or being a good communicator come into play, but now you must evolve your skills to handle the new workload and the new eyes bearing down on you. Those new skills include:
- Flexibility – an excellent high-level executive will be able to adjust to new situations. When something gets thrown their way, they know how to take their minds off what they are currently focusing on and throw into these new issues. In addition, flexibility applies to thinking; a good leader needs to take advice from others and understand when their way of thinking may be different from the right fit at the moment. They know how to change with the times or when new information comes.
- Empathy – A good leader knows how to channel their emotions when an employee is facing an issue. This show you care for the person and what they are going through. If employees see someone who genuinely cares for them and their well-being physically and mentally, they are more inclined to follow your lead.
- Positive mindset – All eyes are on you. Now you are in charge of a vast workforce, and you may not always have time to interact with all of them, but when you do, it needs to be positive. If they sense the high-level executives are optimistic about the company and its future, this will drive them to work harder, and as a leader, your job is to guide those around you to work and produce.
As a CEO, CFO, and COO, there needs to be an increase in leadership skills. It will be hard and overwhelming to handle the daily challenges of these jobs, but it is essential to maintain particular virtues. The entire organization is looking to you for guidance and direction; they need to know you will lead them. Incorporating good communication and examples is helpful, but it still needs to be applied with other skills since you have moved out of the smaller business and are now corporate.
Are you a CEO, CFO, or COO looking for leadership training?
Being a top executive is difficult and complex. Being focused on the financial side of the business could distract you from your responsibilities of being a good leader. If you are looking to fine-tune your leadership skills, I will help fine-tune those skills. I have been the leader of many businesses in my career, so I know what it takes to lead an organization and lead them to huge profits.
Please get in touch with me today, and let’s begin the essential teaching you will need as the leader of an organization.
