CEOs Reveal Their Ideal Employee

Across different industries and despite varying approaches to business, CEOs can all agree on what makes the best employee.

Breaking it down

In any company, there will be flashy and exciting assignments that every employee yearns for. However, the employee who stands out is the one who is willing to take on the less exciting, but equally important projects. 

Workers who are willing to take on a more challenging task are more likely to get noticed by higher-up management. 

Employees often enter a company with varying experience, sometimes in industries far different than the one they are entering. A good employee will be able to apply the things he has learned from previous experiences to the current role.

Thinking creatively can help an employee get noticed by those working above him.

Listening is an important part of collaborating effectively with coworkers. An effective employee is able to use this skill to accomplish tasks with teammates. 

Effective employees know that good ideas can come from anyone on the team, and they work to make sure they are actively listening to what each team member has to say.

Rather than pointing out an issue and asking how to handle it, the ideal employee is one who already has a suggested solution before he presents the problem to his manager. 

Applying the previous skills of active listening and bringing tools from other industries can help an employee bring solutions rather than problems. 

Surprising statistics

According to the CEO Forum, CEOs say employees looking to join the ranks of the next generation of leaders should focus on these key characteristics. . . 

• 12% say to pursue higher education
• 16% say to experience other cultures
• 80% say to develop communication and people skills
• 32% say to learn how to take risks and embrace failure
• 40% say to build a strong network and mentors
• 28% say to show their business influence
• 12% say to create health and wellness routines