Attributes of an Executive
Here is a very well written piece that I was referred to yesterday. I think the author does a great job of defining important attributes for any aspriring executive in a large company.
There is one other attribute that I would add: Capacity for learning. I am continuously impressed by the learning capacity of many of the executives that I interact. Their ability to understand a complex topic in a short period of time is admirable and gives them a competitive advantage. My observation is that alot of this capacity is due to their focus on reading/learning vs. constant 'corporate communication' (ie email, instant messaging, etc.). I think that developing your capacity to learn is a very hard skill to acquire, but it starts with a mindset to focus on it.
There is one other attribute that I would add: Capacity for learning. I am continuously impressed by the learning capacity of many of the executives that I interact. Their ability to understand a complex topic in a short period of time is admirable and gives them a competitive advantage. My observation is that alot of this capacity is due to their focus on reading/learning vs. constant 'corporate communication' (ie email, instant messaging, etc.). I think that developing your capacity to learn is a very hard skill to acquire, but it starts with a mindset to focus on it.