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EXPLORING 21st CENTURY SKILLS and ISSUES
employees that he or she is the right person to lead the company through good and difficult times. Start now. Strive to be a role model to your friends and siblings. Don’t follow. Lead. 9. Successful CEOs listen. They understand that communication is a two-way street. They pay attention when an employee or team member talks. They thoroughly read e-mails and other written communications. A CEO recaps others’ points to make sure they have heard and understand them – even if they don’t agree with them. Start now. Put your cell phone down when someone is talking to you. Look people in the eye. Listen to what they have to say without interrupting. Restate what they have told you, and ask if you have heard them correctly. Make people feel valued by giving them your undivided attention. 10. The day-to-day leadership responsibilities of a CEO can be daunting. There are many decisions to be made and problems to solve. There can be product set backs, financial risks, marketing delays, shipping problems, etc. Good CEOs do not give up in the face of challenge. They persist in spite of set backs. Successful CEO’s are tenacious. Do you have enough of this important quality? Develop it by pushing yourself to pursue bigger and more difficult academic challenges. Take more rigorous courses. Set your grade goals higher. Failure is not an option. Your score: 45-50 Hail to the Chief! You exhibit many key leadership traits. Make a point of using and refining those traits by taking on leadership roles on class projects in school clubs, student government, or community service. There is always something to learn about leadership and many ways to use your abilities to inspire others to succeed. 35-44 The world needs effective, honest, and strong leadership, and you show leadership potential. Identify the three traits you scored the lowest on and make a plan to practice developing those skills. Join a school club and volunteer for a leadership position. One day your good leadership skills may help you rapidly scale the corporate ladder, lead a startup to success, or inspire others to greatness. 25-34 Not everyone has what it takes to be a CEO, but everyone should develop some leadership skills. After all, one day you may be appointed to be a team leader or project manager. Select one or two skills per month. Focus on developing them. Read biographies or autobiographies of courageous leaders like Winston Churchill, George Washington, Julius Caesar, Nelson Mandela, and Angela Merkel, or CEOs like Meg Whitman, Howard Shultz, Bill Gates, Sheryl Sandberg, and Steve Jobs. 5-24 Oh well, at least give yourself points for honesty! Then select 2-3 traits and make it your personal self- improvement goal to develop your skills in those areas. The more you practice, the easier it gets, and the more comfortable you will become in a leadership role. PRODUCT PREVIEW
Sources: www.forbes.com/sites/tanyaprive/2012/12/19/top-10-qualities-that-make-a-great-leader www.inc.com/peter-economy/the-9-traits-that-define-great-leadership.html How to Think Like a CEO by D.A. Benton www.forbes.com/sites/joeltrammell/2014/06/10/the-three-qualities-a-ceo-must-have-tosucceed
239 THE 21st CENTURY STUDENT’S GUIDE TO FINANCIAL LITERACY
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