Many professionals have the ambition to grow into executive positions. The exact source of their ambition may not always be clear, but their “I want to lead” mindset certainly is. Here is an extract of the HBR article on the topic;
“When we dig deeper, we find that what many of these aspirants want most is to have impact. They hunger to do work that makes a genuine, tangible difference in the world.”
HBR Article; Ask an Expert: How Do I Become a CEO? by Sally Blount and Paul Leinwand. February 24, 2021 – click here for the full HBR article.
Two Important Questions
First, do you have the motivation and focus required for a journey that will likely take decades? As the global business environment grows more complex, boards are looking to leaders with more, not less, experience under their belts. Regardless of how long it may take you, motivation and focus will be required to get you through a wide set of challenges, ..”
Second, do you have the potential to become a high-impact leader? Do you have the skills that will both distinguish you among your peers and enable you to lead at scale?
Three profiles to achieve the required leadership experience and success were identified;
1) The Organizational Architect
These leaders know how to build teams and organizational structures, systems, and processes that deliver outstanding results. Creating the right organizational infrastructure is what allows companies to excel in their markets, from innovating new products to creating meaningful customer relationships to building highly digitized supply chains. These leaders understand the fundamental reality that building real advantage is not just about winning today, but building an engine for growth that will last long into the future.
2) The Relationship Maven
These leaders are all about cultivating relationships and helping other people flourish. They form genuine relationships with a diverse group of executives, internally and externally, seemingly without effort. People naturally like them — and not just because they’re likeable. Instead they tend to have an infectious earnestness that evokes trust and good will, whether it be with customers, partners, suppliers, or good friends. As they progress in their careers and their network of “friends” grows, these leaders instinctively start bringing different people together in rooms to pull off deals and collaborations that get bigger over time — yielding results others have a difficult time replicating. Leaders with this skill have a natural curiosity about other people, which starts early in their careers.
3) The Passion Player
These leaders are all about purpose. They start with, “What are we going to accomplish — and why?” That might mean solving the large-scale issues others haven’t, such as global social problems, or bringing new solutions to big existing challenges, like high-impact medical technologies. And while some of these leaders evangelize a self-generated vision, others find their motivation in bringing someone else’s idea to life or in igniting energy in a vibrant mission-based organization. The exact source of their passion is not what distinguishes them — it’s their infectious energy and compelling conversation about “why we are here” that draws people toward them. These leaders believe that accomplishing something significant is what matters, and they use that belief to recruit and motivate others to their cause.