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You need a “Sherpa” to guide you in your ascent to reach the pinnacle of your career. Someone who has climbed the corporate ladder and has been a CXO himself. Someone who can help you with your blind spots and get you there quicker, so you avoid making mistakes. As a former CXO, a professionally certified (ICF-PCC) and John Mattone (coach to Steve jobs) certified executive coach I have helped thousands across the world and can help you too.
If you are a Mid-career manager or a senior leader who is interested in becoming a CXO, then click here know about my CXO 90 day challenge. www.cxohive.com/midcareer
Here are 3 things that you should be clear about when applying for a CXO role
1. What is the problem the company is trying to solve?
Organisations create positions and hire because there is a problem to be solved. If there was no problem ,why would they spend money hiring somebody? Try and figure out what problems the company is trying to solve for and then try and pitch your case as to why you are the best person to solve that problem.
2. Your Unique Value Story
What is so special about you that differentiates you from the others. The mistake most people make is that they are unable to differentiate themselves from others.
At an interview do you end up saying things like I have tons of experience, I am a self-starter, I have managed teams or I deliver? Well so does everybody else at your level.
With hundreds of applications thousands applying a recruiter will look at your resume for 5-7 seconds or a hiring manager will take 90 secs ,so you will be lost in the sea of applications if you don’t stand out.
The better approach focuses on your unique story. You need to know what separates you from everybody else. You need to have a unique value proposition. What are the unique problems you solve (or have done so in the past). Look at your performance appraisals or resume. What are the things that you do and figure out the themes (things that appear again and again) in your history. Are you an amazing team builder or are you great with people or do you have a great Network? Are you a strategic thinker or a subject matter expert? do you know the technical details or are you an organization builder? What is the thing that you do that is above and beyond what everybody else in the job is going to do.
What you want to do is find a unique combo!
E.g. A super technical person who’s also great with people (usually unusual) Your unique value proposition is that I can solve the technical problem but I’m also great with people so I can work with the partners to make sure we solve the overall problem
3. Learn how to communicate with CXOs
The mistake is relying on details and this is the classic technical /technology-based director level mistake because with a science and engineering background you believe that more data equals more proof and is more convincing but unfortunately that doesn’t work at the CXO levels.
Often Mid-career/senior leaders will talk about “the how”, e.g. there is/was a problem, how they got it fixed (sequential activity related conversation e.g. I did this, I spoke with this etc). CXOs don’t really care about details as they are focussed on the big picture and have many issues to solve for.
Or you prepare for a 20-minute slot at the management committee and you walk in and you are told you have 5 five minutes as they are running late. Do you still start with your 20 minute story? Well people might just get frustrated because you can’t get to the point and then there is this perception that you’re too much in the details and you’re not focused on the big picture. Worst case is you’re boring or difficult to listen to, but generally you come across as Mid-level leader (not CXO material) because you’re not focused on the things that CXOs are looking for.
There is an executive tool kit that I teach in my CXO 90 day Challenge and it’s the simple 3 part model.
WHAT : What information is most important, in what level of detail and what format (email, memo, in person)
SO WHAT : Why is it important? why now?
NOW WHAT : Who needs to do what and more specifically, is there anything I (recipient) need to do?
Conclusion:
There are many things you need to learn in your journey to become a CXO. Unfortunately, there is no MBA or institution that teaches this. This is exactly why you need a CXO Coach to help you get there.
If you are a Mid -career manager or a senior leader who is interested in becoming a CXO, then click here know about my CXO 90 day challenge. www.cxohive.com/midcareer
February, 12 2021
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