Skip to Main Content
HBS Home
  • About
  • Academic Programs
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Research
  • Baker Library
  • Giving
  • Harvard Business Review
  • Initiatives
  • News
  • Recruit
  • Map / Directions
Faculty & Research
  • Faculty
  • Research
  • Featured Topics
  • Academic Units
  • …→
  • Harvard Business School→
  • Faculty & Research→
Publications
Publications
  • Article
  • Harvard Business Review

The C-Suite Skills That Matter Most

By: Raffaella Sadun, Joseph B. Fuller, Stephen Hansen and PJ Neal
  • Format:Print
  • | Pages:9
ShareBar

Abstract

Landing a job as a CEO today is no longer all about industry expertise and financial savvy. What companies are really seeking are leaders with strong social skills. That’s what the authors discovered after analyzing nearly 7,000 job descriptions for C-suite roles. Their explanation for this trend? Business operations are becoming more complex and tech-centered; workforce diversity is growing; and firms face greater public scrutiny than ever before. Those conditions call for leaders who are adept communicators, relationship builders, and people-oriented problem solvers. To succeed in the future, the authors argue, companies will need to focus on those skills when they evaluate CEO candidates and develop in-house talent.

Keywords

C-Suite; Skills; Skills Development; Social Skills; Management Skills; Interpersonal Communication; Talent and Talent Management

Citation

Sadun, Raffaella, Joseph B. Fuller, Stephen Hansen, and PJ Neal. "The C-Suite Skills That Matter Most." Harvard Business Review 100, no. 4 (July–August 2022): 42–50.
  • Find it at Harvard
  • Register to Read

About The Authors

Raffaella Sadun

Strategy
→More Publications

Joseph B. Fuller

Entrepreneurial Management
→More Publications

More from the Authors

    • May–June 2023
    • Harvard Business Review

    The High Cost of Neglecting Low-Wage Workers

    By: Joseph B. Fuller and Manjari Raman
    • May–June 2023
    • Harvard Business Review

    The High Cost of Neglecting Low-Wage Workers: Six Mistakes That Companies Make—and How They Can Do Better

    By: Joseph Fuller and Manjari Raman
    • May 2023
    • Faculty Research

    Ferrari: Shifting to Carbon Neutrality

    By: Raffaella Sadun, Elena Corsi and Leila Doumi
More from the Authors
  • The High Cost of Neglecting Low-Wage Workers By: Joseph B. Fuller and Manjari Raman
  • The High Cost of Neglecting Low-Wage Workers: Six Mistakes That Companies Make—and How They Can Do Better By: Joseph Fuller and Manjari Raman
  • Ferrari: Shifting to Carbon Neutrality By: Raffaella Sadun, Elena Corsi and Leila Doumi
ǁ
Campus Map
Harvard Business School
Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
→Map & Directions
→More Contact Information
  • Make a Gift
  • Site Map
  • Jobs
  • Harvard University
  • Trademarks
  • Policies
  • Accessibility
  • Digital Accessibility
Copyright © President & Fellows of Harvard College