{"id":27466,"date":"2024-07-16T16:49:56","date_gmt":"2024-07-16T20:49:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/?p=27466"},"modified":"2025-11-19T10:41:18","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T15:41:18","slug":"from-skills-to-support-what-ceos-need-to-succeed-in-2024-and-beyond","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/insights\/from-skills-to-support-what-ceos-need-to-succeed-in-2024-and-beyond\/","title":{"rendered":"From Skills to Support: What CEOs Need to Succeed in 2024 and Beyond"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"block-hero alignfull  has-breadcrumb\">\n    <div class=\"outerwrap\">\n        <div class=\"wrapper\">\n            <div class=\"copy\">\n\n                                    <ul>\n                        <!-- Breadcrumb NavXT 7.0.2 -->\n<li><a property=\"item\" typeof=\"WebPage\" title=\"Go to Insights.\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/insights\/\" class=\"post post-page\" aria-current=\"page\"><span property=\"name\">Insights<\/span><\/a><meta property=\"position\" content=\"1\"><\/li>                    <\/ul>\n                \n                                    <h1>From Skills to Support: What CEOs Need to Succeed in 2024 and Beyond<\/h1>\n                \n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"block-insights-detail no-intro\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"meta\">\r\n\t\t<p class=\"date\">July 16, 2024<\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"author\">Authors:<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/consultant\/keith-giarman\/\">Keith Giarman<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/consultant\/christine-greybe\/\">Christine Greybe<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/consultant\/mike-magsig\/\">Mike Magsig<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/consultant\/heather-smith\/\">Heather Smith<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\t<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>While the pandemic is in the rearview mirror, that doesn\u2019t mean we aren\u2019t experiencing challenging times. From economics to politics, and from cyber threats to artificial intelligence (AI), the world can be difficult to navigate\u2014and so can the role of a CEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A 2024 survey from The Conference Board showed that inflation and a possible recession are the leading concerns among CEOs worldwide. Meanwhile, AI is reshaping nearly every aspect of the workplace. All of this is occurring against a seemingly constant backdrop of conflict and global unrest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a lot, to say the least. Some CEOs are built to rise to the occasion, but even they need an equally proficient and passionate leadership team around them. Here are a few qualities and factors that are critical for the success of today\u2019s CEOs and other C-suite leaders, with insights from our executive recruiters and leadership consultants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"is-style-underlined has-green-color has-text-color\">Digital Literacy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Technology drives just about everything. AI is currently the headliner for technological change, but it\u2019s not the first, and won\u2019t be the last, advancement to transform the workplace. Before AI, there was the emergence of the smartphone, and before that, the internet. AI is barely out of its infancy, with new tools and improvements rolling out daily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was once a rather harmless and laughable quirk to keep it &#8220;old-school,&#8221; but it\u2019s now a huge drawback to be unattuned to the latest tech. Leaders don\u2019t necessarily need to become tech experts, but they do need to have some degree of digital literacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Being aware of what\u2019s happening with technology is a must in any industry and organization,&#8221; said Keith Giarman, Managing Partner of DHR\u2019s Private Equity Practice. &#8220;That knowledge translates to agility and the ability to identify opportunities.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Giarman added that companies with innovative leaders have a culture of &#8220;disrupting&#8221; themselves\u2014meaning they continuously explore how technology can enhance their operations\u2014rather than waiting for broader disruption to hit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Innovative CEOs make disruption a normal course of business,&#8221; Giarman said.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"block-billboard alignfull has-dark-blue-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"maybe-wrapper\">\n\t\t<div class=\"inner\">\n            \n\n<p>&#8220;Being aware of what\u2019s happening with technology is a must in any industry and organization. That knowledge translates to agility and the ability to identify opportunities.&#8221; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-cmedium-font-size\">&#8211; Keith Giarman<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:16px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"is-style-underlined has-green-color has-text-color\">Financial Acumen<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Alongside technology, finance is a key component of a CEO\u2019s aptitude. And in the same vein, the CEO\u2019s knowledge needs to be reasonably up to speed. While CEOs don&#8217;t need the same level of expertise as a chief financial officer (CFO), they must have a handle on profit and loss and other key financial indicators like cash flow, revenue growth, and gross margin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn business, numbers don\u2019t lie. The numbers tell the story of the company\u2019s overall standing and eventual success,\u201d Giarman said. \u201cWithout a financial baseline, it takes longer for a CEO to see what\u2019s happening, especially if they\u2019re relying solely on a CFO\u2019s briefing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"is-style-underlined has-green-color has-text-color\">Critical Thinking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Digital literacy and financial acumen are always useful, but only meaningful, when paired with critical thinking. CEOs must peel back layers of data, analytics, perspectives, and implications before making decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Christine Greybe, President of DHR Leadership Consulting, emphasized the importance of listening to enable critical thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;CEOs need to gather all the relevant information available,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Then, they must apply that information in tune with the mission and goals of the organization.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Aptitude tests consistently show a strong correlation between critical thinking and successful CEOs. It\u2019s a leader\u2019s means of anticipating challenges, evaluating potential outcomes, establishing a path forward, and communicating that path clearly and effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"is-style-underlined has-green-color has-text-color\">Emotional Intelligence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Events in the world affect people at work. That\u2019s where emotional intelligence is an intangible but indispensable quality in a leader. Emotional intelligence involves recognizing and understanding one\u2019s own emotions and those of others. It&#8217;s about managing emotions effectively, building meaningful relationships, and creating an environment where employees feel valued and understood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For a CEO, having high emotional intelligence means being able to lead with empathy and humility, while maintaining what\u2019s ultimately in everyone\u2019s best interests: the company\u2019s stability. Emotional intelligence is often what attracts top talent to follow a CEO from one company to the next.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"block-billboard alignfull has-dark-blue-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"maybe-wrapper\">\n\t\t<div class=\"inner\">\n            \n\n<p>\u201cLeadership has evolved from instructing to influencing. It\u2019s now focused on understanding, supporting, and connecting others. Emotional intelligence is a key indicator carefully evaluated in our executive recruiting process.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-cmedium-font-size\">&#8211; Heather Smith<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>The CEO typically sets the tone for a company\u2019s culture. A positive company culture creates a safe space where people can process outside events, reconcile emotions, and pursue positive change together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Leadership has evolved from instructing to influencing,&#8221; said Heather Smith, a Partner in DHR\u2019s Board &amp; CEO Practice Group. &#8220;It\u2019s now focused on understanding, supporting, and connecting others. Emotional intelligence is a key indicator carefully evaluated in our executive recruiting process.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"is-style-underlined has-green-color has-text-color\">A Capable C-Suite<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The idea of a rock star, do-it-all CEO isn\u2019t quite applicable to the way leaders lead and organizations succeed today. The CEO\u2019s job description isn\u2019t to single-handedly fix everything; it\u2019s to nurture a cohesive leadership team for the betterment and profitability of the company. Building the right team starts with recruiting individuals who have complementary skills and strengths. It requires understanding the unique value each executive brings to the table and aligning their abilities with the company\u2019s strategic goals.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"block-billboard alignfull has-dark-blue-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"maybe-wrapper\">\n\t\t<div class=\"inner\">\n            \n\n<p>&#8220;Attracting and retaining top talent at every position is crucial because a CEO can\u2019t do it alone. That\u2019s how you create a dynamic organization with purpose-driven leadership throughout the company.&#8221; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-cmedium-font-size\">&#8211; Christine Greybe<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>When building your leadership team, prioritize diversity of thought and experience. Look beyond the usual qualifications and seek leaders who bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions. Developing a robust succession pipeline is equally important. Identify high-potential talent within the organization and provide those people with the opportunities and mentorship they need to grow into future leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Attracting and retaining top talent at every position is crucial because a CEO can\u2019t do it alone,&#8221; Greybe said. \u201cThat\u2019s how you create a dynamic organization with purpose-driven leadership throughout the company.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"is-style-underlined has-green-color has-text-color\">An Experienced Board<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember, CEOs aren\u2019t meant to be lone rangers. In addition to working alongside the C-suite, they benefit from a thoughtfully assembled board of directors. Board members and CEOs alike must recognize that they are partnering with, not competing against, each other in working toward a vision for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Clients often bring us in to look at the composition of the board and identify what experiences and skills are needed to advise the CEO through current events and toward a future vision,&#8221; said Mike Magsig, Managing Partner of DHR\u2019s Board &amp; CEO Practice Group.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"block-billboard alignfull has-dark-blue-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"maybe-wrapper\">\n\t\t<div class=\"inner\">\n            \n\n<p>&#8220;The benefit of having those extra voices and perspectives can be invaluable, particularly when there\u2019s surrounding uncertainty in factors such as the economy, regulatory pressure, and global tension.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-cmedium-font-size\">&#8211; Mike Magsig<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;It\u2019s a two-way street,&#8221; Smith said. &#8220;The board is relying on the CEO to be agile and strategic. The CEO is relying on the board to be insightful and forward-thinking. There should be a balance of ambition and risk mitigation.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a board director, look for a broad range of functional experiences, and someone who understands the fiduciary role of supporting and advising as part of a team, rather than driving the action. A director\u2019s value to the board is shaped not by career progression alone, but by the outcomes achieved and the knowledge acquired during their professional journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Magsig added, &#8220;The benefit of having those extra voices and perspectives can be invaluable, particularly when there\u2019s surrounding uncertainty in factors such as the economy, regulatory pressure, and global tension.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"is-style-underlined has-green-color has-text-color\">The Leadership Personality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When searching for a leader, whether a CEO, CFO, chief technology officer, or board director, there\u2019s ultimately that underlying &#8220;it&#8221; factor. You can sense it in a candidate\u2019s posture and delivery. A standout candidate is authentic, articulate, and believable. Identifying the &#8220;it&#8221; factor requires multiple touch points, data points, and the right combination of measurable testing and skilled interviewing. It\u2019s equal parts art and science; formal and informal. It\u2019s rigorous, but human.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Experience and skills are far from the only factors,&#8221; Magsig said. &#8220;I\u2019m looking for how a candidate describes their most successful accomplishments. Are these personal stories or team stories? I want to understand their value systems and, in turn, their leadership intangibles.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Greybe added, &#8220;There\u2019s never a 100-percent match across all factors. Many CEOs that we place are first-time CEOs. We assess emotional, analytical, and social intelligence alongside other factors and encourage organizations to prioritize a candidate\u2019s overall capability and potential for future performance.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Giarman reiterated DHR\u2019s multifaceted approach to leadership assessment: &#8220;It\u2019s about who they are and how they think,&#8221; he said. &#8220;You\u2019ll miss out on great candidates if you\u2019re overly focused on an exact prototype.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Smith concluded, &#8220;Talent has risen to a priority topic on the boardroom agenda. It\u2019s become a central focus for all organizations to seek exceptional leadership, starting with a successful CEO.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n    <div class=\"block-consultants-featured \">\n        <div class=\"maybe-wrapper\">\n\n                            <h2 class=\"is-style-underlined\">Meet the Experts<\/h2>\n            \n            <div class=\"consultant-grid\">\n\n                <article id=\"post-1267\" class=\"post-1267 consultant type-consultant status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry consultant_title-managing-partner\" >\n    <a class=\"inner\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/consultant\/keith-giarman\/\">\n        <div class=\"img\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Giarman_Keith_Web-370x370.jpg);\"><\/div>\n        <div class=\"info\">\n            <h3>Keith Giarman<\/h3>\n                            <p>Managing Partner, Global Private Equity Practice<\/p>\n            \n                    <\/div>\n    <\/a>\n<\/article><article id=\"post-1151\" class=\"post-1151 consultant type-consultant status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry consultant_title-executive-vice-president\" >\n    <a class=\"inner\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/consultant\/christine-greybe\/\">\n        <div class=\"img\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Greybe_Christine_Web-370x370.jpg);\"><\/div>\n        <div class=\"info\">\n            <h3>Christine Greybe<\/h3>\n                            <p>President, Leadership Consulting<\/p>\n            \n                    <\/div>\n    <\/a>\n<\/article><article id=\"post-1315\" class=\"post-1315 consultant type-consultant status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry consultant_title-managing-partner\" >\n    <a class=\"inner\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/consultant\/mike-magsig\/\">\n        <div class=\"img\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Magsig_Mike_Web-370x370.jpg);\"><\/div>\n        <div class=\"info\">\n            <h3>Mike Magsig<\/h3>\n                            <p>Managing Partner, Global Board &#038; CEO Practice<\/p>\n            \n                    <\/div>\n    <\/a>\n<\/article><article id=\"post-1067\" class=\"post-1067 consultant type-consultant status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry consultant_title-partner\" >\n    <a class=\"inner\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/consultant\/heather-smith\/\">\n        <div class=\"img\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Smith_Heather_Web-370x370.jpg);\"><\/div>\n        <div class=\"info\">\n            <h3>Heather Smith<\/h3>\n                            <p>Managing Partner, North America Board &#038; CEO Practice<\/p>\n            \n                    <\/div>\n    <\/a>\n<\/article>            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>While the pandemic is in the rearview mirror, that doesn\u2019t mean we aren\u2019t experiencing challenging times. From economics to politics, and from cyber threats to artificial intelligence (AI), the world can be difficult to navigate\u2014and so can the role of&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":27514,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[],"insights_type":[49],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27466"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27466"}],"version-history":[{"count":35,"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27466\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38268,"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27466\/revisions\/38268"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27514"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27466"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27466"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27466"},{"taxonomy":"insights_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insights_type?post=27466"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}