Q: My goal is to be a CEO of a good-sized company. I'd like to stay in the sector I'm used to (manufacturing) and wonder what I should be doing to reach this goal.
Janet, 31, senior director, finance
A: It's smart to start preparing early in your career so you can acquire the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need.
First, be very clear in your mind about your motivation. How do you answer the question, "why do you want to be a CEO?" If you can't articulate it, you're less likely to achieve it.
Now give some deep thought to what it takes to be an effective executive leader. Consider the knowledge base, to be sure, but also the intellectual and emotional components. Who would you like to emulate, and why?
For example, in manufacturing, you'll want to be knowledgeable about production processes, supply chain challenges, and distribution issues. You'll also need to craft and communicate a vision for your company, setting a tone that helps employees (and, potentially, investors) believe in you. And you'll need the leadership skills to build an effective management team.
Where do you stand? If you haven't gotten close to your company's core business processes, use your current role to gain as much insight as you can, but also explore opportunities to lead other functions. Also seek opportunities to be actively involved in strategic processes that pull together cross-functional groups. You'll also need to understand marketing, sales, HR, etc., so obtain experience or education in those areas.
Develop as a leader, creating a style that is authentic for you. For example, if you're more of an introvert, don't try to be a wide-open extrovert. At the same time, recognize that you need to be the face of the company, so learn to interact effectively with all types of people, from your line staff to your board of directors.
