Leadership research has generally overlooked the qualities of successful CEOs, instead focusing on other levels of management. This study sought to identify the personal qualities that made CEOs successful. A literature review identified that there were five qualities associated with success including philosophies about life, self and others, characteristics, leadership style, areas for improvement and lessons taken from experience. A Model of CEO Success is proposed based on these qualities and the relationship between them. / Successful CEOs and their key direct reports completed a questionnaire and participated in interviews to arrive at the conclusions drawn. Results indicated that successful CEOs demonstrated three philosophies and characteristics most associated with success: humanistic approach, achievement and proactive thinking. They demonstrated a varied leadership style but mainly humanistic, empowering, achievement oriented, participative and directive approaches. Areas for improvement were mainly related to the over use or under use of philosophies and characteristics associated with success including a need to empower, coach and involve more often; be more patient; more learning and self-awareness; manage performance more effectively; confront more; be firmer with others and balance. Lessons learnt from experience led to the acquisition and development of philosophies and characteristics most associated with success. The philosophies and characteristics most associated with CEO success share properties with other psychological constructs including positive core self-evaluations and the proactive personality. There was a high level of agreement between CEOs and direct reports which supported the connection between managerial self-awareness and CEO success. / Future research could determine the manner in which the qualities interact to create success and whether development of the area for improvement enhance success or not. / The results have practical implications for CEO recruitment, development and coaching and contribute to the understanding of CEO success by detailing qualities associated with success. / Thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 2005.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/267416 |
| Creators | Wood, John. |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | copyright under review |
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