7 C-Suite Skills That Will Make You An Awesome Executive

By BILL FLITTER

A leader fit for the C-suite has an invaluable set of skills that have been honed to grow, develop and optimize a business.

But, like every leader, an executive’s career is unique — and so too are the qualities that he or she brings to the job. Some executives encounter opportunity and luck throughout their career, which ultimately leads them directly to the upper echelon of business. However, others must work to overcome adversity and countless obstacles to fight their way to the top. Regardless of the differences, there are several common denominators that make for great C-suite leaders.

These are the seven primary skills all great C-suite executives have:

#1: Leadership

True leaders set aside time to lead. This means continuously learning and evolving to refine their leadership skills. Some people are naturally born with leadership qualities, while others develop the ability to be a good leader over time. Natural leaders have an innate confidence and an allure that inspires trust and a following – but it is a skill all executives are constantly building upon, whether through experience, education or a combination of the two.

Leadership, in all regards, is the cornerstone quality to get into the corner office.

#2: Strategy

Without direction, purpose, and strategy, no executive, let alone the business they lead, would be successful. Strategic thinkers measure performance and day-to-day details, making them invaluable to a company. Most importantly, they are able to put these details into the context of the big picture. Strategic thinking is one of the foundational skills a student will gain out of an Executive MBA program. In addition, strategic thinking is one of the most widely sought-after skills for today’s open executive positions. According to a recent search for chief executive officer positions on LinkedIn, setting strategy, strategic planning and strategy execution all rank at the top of must-have’s and to-do’s for the job.

Big-picture thinkers and strategists are why executive positions exist.

#3: People Management

Good relationship and people management is crucial to productivity and delivery. Arguably, a company’s biggest asset is its people. As such, it is paramount to have executives who know how to successfully build rapport with employees, stakeholders, investors, consumers and others inside and outside of the business. A good leader must also know how to properly manage those relationships for the betterment of the company.

At a fundamental level, good executives are good at managing themselves first.

#4: Business and Financial Knowledge

Understanding the inner workings of business well beyond any one role, including their own, is a crucial skill held by a C-suite leader. Operationally, financially, and from a sales and marketing perspective, executives need to have exactly that – perspective. They know what makes the business tick – from the people to the product or service, and everything in between. Great executives possess a certain level of hands-on business experience and have a thorough understanding of the economic and political conditions that impact the company, the industry and the market at large.

Great C-suite leaders know and understand the various disciplines of the business. This allows them to make predictions and informed decisions about what needs to be done next.

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#5: Technological Knowledge

Another skill that continues to top the job descriptions of today’s executive positions is familiarity with technology. A CNBC article published in January found three of the 5 most in-demand hard skills in 2019 are: UX Design, Artificial Intelligence and Cloud Computing. Good executives will surround themselves with experts to fill in knowledge gaps within the company. No business today wants an executive without plenty of tech knowledge.

The importance placed on technology skills continues to rise. Executives need to not only know how to utilize technology, but how it impacts the business.

#6: Change Management

Being an ‘agent of change’ means more to businesses now than ever before. Influenced by changes in the market, economy, advances in technology and a slew of other outside factors, today’s executive must embrace the constant flux of the business environment around them and be able to make sense of it.

In all facets of business and in life, good executives harness the constant change happening around them. Their commitment and thirst for continuous improvement serves them well as they take advantage of all of the different types of changes happening.

#7: Presentation

An executive is an executive in everything they do – from their knowledge, to their skills, to the way they present themselves, to how they communicate with others. Soft skills and other intangibles – like the being a good relationship builder and the way an executive carries him- or herself is – important to overall presentation and influence. This ‘skill,’ while basic, has a strong ‘je ne sais quoi’ factor about it, but it often comes down to how an executive makes those around them feel.

In business, presentation is everything.

Are these skills you have and want to hone in on to become a better business leader? Find an MBA program that will get you there.

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Over 25 years of experience in marketing for start-ups. Currently, Senior Director of Marketing and Outreach for Saint Mary's College School of Business. Created a sports development nonprofit to help under-resourced youth in the Bay Area. Love a great cappuccino. Die-hard Packers fan and stockholder.

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