I'm often asked what kinds of skills and experiences stand out to companies looking for C-suite leaders. My response: “It’s changing.”
While financial acumen, industry experience, and operational expertise remain important, many companies are shifting their focus to emphasize the soft skills of leadership.
Driven by DEI, social media, firm complexity, and technology, talent management strategy trends confirm that command and control structures and working in siloes are out.
Active collaboration in all levels of leadership, including the C-suite, is in.
According to recent research of over 7,000 C-suite job descriptions conducted by Harvard’s Joseph Fuller, companies are prioritizing C-suite leaders who are superb communicators, people-driven solution architects, and relationship builders. In other words, leaders who are "people people".
If you have your eye on the C-suite, then, what can you do to strengthen these skills?
One of the most effective things an aspiring C-suite professional can do is work with many diverse people in a variety of settings. Look for opportunities that move you from your comfort zone and propel you into people networks you wouldn’t normally encounter. Seek out projects that expose you to different colleagues, vendors, regulators, and clients. These experiences will sharpen your social skills, broaden your abilities to adapt and influence, and better position you for the demands of the modern C-suite.
Comments