“A common question is, once we have a sense of our strengths and weaknesses, how do we measure the relative strength of the attributes we do have? In a recent interview, Dr. David Weller, founder of Leadership Alliance and a true expert in assessing top talent, told me that about a third of the variants for success are simple competencies. These include, but are not limited to: Possessing a drive for results and being able to get results from others The ability to make decisions, including unpopular decisions Strategic agility when dealing with ambiguity A certain level of risk tolerance Financial acumen Critical thinking, which is an innate trait Tactical ability Perseverance Self-awareness, which includes the ability to work through your weaknesses and not have blind spots Interpersonal skills The last one is worth noting. When you are CEO of a company, you must be able to sell; it’s a requirement. This does not mean that you need to commit your time to being a salesperson—that will depend on the type of opportunity you choose. The ability to grow small companies into big companies will always include the skill of selling, which is a learnable skill, despite the thought that salespeople are either born with this talent or not. Whether you’re selling your services to a prospective customer, selling the vision of your company to the employees, or selling the model to a potential investor, sales skills are a fundamental requirement of growing a business. Having strong interpersonal skills makes it possible to connect people and activities and grow a business.”