What should CEOs study to prepare for the role?

The subject of my latest article for Forbes.com is what CEOs should study outside of traditional business education that will help them succeed on the job. I started this blog because I believe there is a lack of training and development to help people prepare for the specific challenges of the CEO role. I think focused study and practice in these five areas will better equip people to handle the job and succeed:

  • Emotional intelligence: Being in tune with your emotions and those of others
  • Communication skills: The chief executive officer of today must also be the chief executive storyteller
  • Game theory: The study of strategic decision-making
  • History: Learn from the past and draw parallels to the present/future
  • Organizational development: Building great teams is key to a CEO’s success

Check them out along with the resources I share and let me know what you think. What areas would you add that are not covered in a traditional business education?

Related articles:

Why Do So Many Bright Business People Fail So Impressively As CEO? (Forbes.com)

No country for new CEOs

The CEO as Constant Learner

1 Comment

  1. I would highly recommend at least some basic programming. Programming is problem solving in a controlled environment, it’s a great learning tool. It also teaches you to re-use the work you’ve already done, programming is very focused on efficiency and resource management which are both relevant to successfully running a company.

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