3 Things The Highest Paid CEOs Have In Common

I believe it’s a great practice to look to the high performers of the world and ask ourselves: what are they doing that I could be doing as well.  Whether you aspire to be a CEO or not, there’s no denying that high performing (and highly compensated) CEOs stand out as some of the most successful people in the business world.

So what are a few of the common characteristics of a corporate leader in today’s business world?

1. Type-A personality

Several studies have been done on the personality traits of CEOs, and they found that top performing CEOs tend to want to be in control, have a need for high achievement and have a high tolerance for risk-taking and uncertainty. 

How to apply this yourself: While you can’t necessarily change your nature, you can learn to adopt a different attitude. Hold yourself to a higher level of achievement, and start cultivating a tolerance for risk and ambiguity to think more like a CEO.

2. Overseas experience

It used to be that if an executive took a job overseas, he was seen as wanting a world traveling lifestyle and not considered a good candidate for CEO. Now, companies areactively seeking candidates with overseas experience. It’s a smart move, because companies are recognizing that the future of their growth or outsourcing is likely international. Companies without that kind of diversity will be at a disadvantage. 

How to apply this yourself: If you’re interested in diversifying your own experience look for and volunteer for overseas assignments.  Even if you’re not ready to be a CEO yet, that kind of experience will set you apart at any level.

3. Life outside the office

According to data collected by the Harvard Business Review, top performing CEOs are overwhelmingly married and have three kids on average. Interestingly, they all have Bachelor's’ degrees, but less than a third have MBAs. And they are still almost all male. 

How to apply this yourself: Take the time to build a life outside of your job. Follow your passions and embrace your family (and don’t make the mistake of neglecting them for your job). And don’t be discouraged if you’re not male; women are making inroads into the CEO club more and more each day, and I personally can’t wait to see a more diverse c-level in companies.

Most importantly, while top CEOs have a lot in common, they also have a lot of differences — and they know when to break the mold. According to the Harvard Business Review survey, 99% of CEOs had university degrees.  The one outlier? Steve Jobs.  And he certainly didn’t let that hold him back from achieving greatness.

What qualities do you think a good CEO must have?  What qualities have you tried to cultivate to be successful in the business world? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

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