You’ve heard me go on about the statistics before but let me remind you for the sake of today’s lesson:

About 30% of businesses in the US are owned by women, but only 2% of those ever break the $1 million mark. Not only that but, businesses owned by men are 3.5 times as likely to reach that same objective. 

Now, does that statistic make me mad? Absolutely. When I first learned it, it made me mad enough that I built a business with the sole mission to change it. 

But I like to channel my frustration into action and I’m all about filling our weekly blogs with a positive message so… today is all about that. 

“I know the statistics aren’t in our favor and that the system is corrupted but I still want to better my chances. I want to know what makes a CEO a great one and I want to go out there and be great”. One of my mentees said this to me this week and it not only inspired me, but also sparked my creativity. 

So, what makes a CEO great? 🤷🏽‍♀️ Here’s what I came up with after giving it some thought ⤵️

1️. Great CEOs have a vision. The most useful thing a leader can do is facilitate the creation of a vision which becomes the north star for themselves and the people around them. Great CEOs do this by taking into account their aspirations, potential impact, unique strengths, and value creation capacities. 

2.Great CEOs know their why and they know it goes beyond them. It’s not about ego, money, fame, or power. In fact, it’s not even about them at all. It’s about mission, the impact they’re creating, the people who will benefit, and leaving a legacy. More importantly, they know how to rally people around that. 

3️. Along with a clear vision of where the organization is going, great CEOs maintain a key focus on what’s at stake.They harness the attention and focus of the entire organization in the same direction.

4️. Great CEOs build relationships. They can foster cooperation and support when faced with any conflict. They know how to give value to the people around them. They take care of people first.

5️. Great CEOs are great communicators.They communicate early and often and seek to understand others by asking questions. They listen genuinely to their responses and act on the input they receive. Additionally, they have the ability to influence people through engaging and creative storytelling. They generate excitement behind a mission and effectively get others to follow. 

So, my advice? Take notes on today’s lesson and put it up where you can see it from your workstation. Go over those 5 points every morning and ask yourself if you’re showing up as a good CEO or as a great one. 

Yes, the statistics suck but, we can’t and won’t let them kill our spirit. Make sure you go out there and be great at what you do ✨ 

With love,

Suneera