NEW YORK–What’s the best way to become a CEO and then be most effective when in the job?
A New York Times columnist who has spent a decade interviewing 525 chief executives has compiled the best of what he has heard and learned in the final column he wrote for the publication.
Adam Bryant, who fittingly enough writes the Corner Office column with the Times, said that as he marked a decade in the job he paused to reflect on those 500-plus interviews and what they had in common. CUToday.info readers will find below a synopsis of his observations below. But first, Bryant explains how he arrived at his interviewing style.
“It started with a simple idea: What if I sat down with chief executives, and never asked them about their companies?” Bryant wrote in the New York Times. “The notion occurred to me roughly a decade ago, after spending years as a reporter and interviewing CEOs about many of the expected things: their growth plans, the competition, the economic forces driving their industries. But the more time I spent doing this, the more I found myself wanting to ask instead about more expansive themes — not about pivoting, scaling or moving to the cloud, but how they lead their employees, how they hire, and the life advice they give or wish they had received.”
He noted he has interviewed CEOs who have grown up in dirt-floor homes, those who have escaped lives involving drugs and gangs, and those who have taken to doing away with titles to offering twice-a-month housecleaning to all employees as a retention tool.
While many have tried to crack the code for the best path to becoming a chief executive, Bryant noted that a surprising number of the executives do not fit the stereotype of the straight-A student and class president who seemed destined to run a big company someday. While hard work and perseverence are obvious traits, Bryant wrote that he has noticed three recurring themes in CEOs:
Applied Curiosity
“First, they share a habit of mind that is best described as “applied curiosity.” They tend to question everything,” he said. “They want to know how things work, and wonder how they can be made to work better. They’re curious about people and their back stories. And rather than wondering if they are on the right career path, they make the most of whatever path they’re on, wringing lessons from all their experiences.”
Discomfort is Comfortable
“Second, CEOs seem to love a challenge. Discomfort is their comfort zone,” Bryant wrote.
Do What You Do Well
“The third theme is how they managed their own careers on their way to the top,” said Bryant. “They focus on doing their current job well, and that earns them promotions. That may sound obvious. But many people can seem more concerned about the job they want than the job they’re doing. That doesn’t mean keeping ambition in check. By all means, have career goals, share them with your bosses, and learn everything you can about how the broader business works. And yes, be savvy about company politics (watch out in particular for the show ponies who try to take credit for everything). But focus on building a track record of success, and people will keep betting on you.”
The full piece can be found here.