The success of an organization is dependant on the direction that the leader of that organization gives. Several analogies could be drawn, like the pilot of the plane that is carrying precious cargo, or the captain of a ship, wading through the choppy waters of the market, a key trait of the Chief Executive Officer .

Given the profound impact that a CEO’s reputation has on a company’s financial performance, possessing and communicating the qualities of a highly regarded CEO should be a top priority for companies.

Boards of directors should use these qualities as a guide when selecting and developing their current, or future, CEOs. Consider using the following seven highly effective CEO qualities identified by `Maximizing CEO Reputation’ as criteria:

1: Advocate of Company Vision and Values

Successful CEOs must be skilled at advocating and living the company’s vision and values. CEO communications and behaviour are what employees, share holders, analysts, customers or clients, lenders, and suppliers will use to judge the company’s viability and future performance. In a world where communication is real time and electronic, have become easier and less expensive to create, the marketplace will be ruled by CEOs who are skilled at not only identifying meaningful messages, but also determining the most effective communication channels to reach their intended audiences.

2: Stands out among peer

Today’s scorecard economy means that a CEO’s performance are being constantly rated and measured against the performance of others. To withstand such scrutiny and instill a sense of confidence in all stakeholders and other interested parties, CEOs must always ensure that the company is perceived positively by peers and other industry watchers.

Therefore, CEOs need to present their company as the `employer of choice’, remain credible regardless of the sensitivity of a situation and be perceived as `best of their class’.

3: Skilled Communicator

Exceptional CEOs are able to communicate their vision and strategy clearly, succinctly, and consistently to both internal and external constituencies. When CEOs are adept at making strategic priorities clear inside the company, consistent external communications will follow that will accurately and coherently represent the company’s goals and direction. The era of the Narrator CEO is at hand.

4: Master of Information

CEOs who succeed in leveraging their reputations listen carefully to both word-of-mouth and on-line talk of their companies at large and themselves. They are also familiar with the traditional and non-traditional channels that stakeholders are able to access when forming their opinions of the company and the competition.

5: Leader of a Strong Management Team

A CEO should possess the ability to enable senior management group acting and speaking in unison with him/her, this is yet another leading indicator of CEO prowess. Building leadership credibility and a winning team takes more than providing stock options, granting bonuses, and modeling the values of the company.

This also requires involvement by the senior management team in strategic development and implementation as well as its participation in the company’s direction all of which will translate into a stronger message delivered to external constituencies.

6: Fast and Forward Thinker

Effective CEOs understand that the ability to foresee events and plan for change are the keys to success in today’s marketplace. They also recognize that every move they make results in a counter-move by direct and indirect competitors. Consequently, they are skilled at making decisions and taking risks in instantaneous Internet time.

These CEOs are also prepared to respond to alliance opportunities and recognize the importance of being perceived as valuable alliance partners by others.

7: Expert in Imparting Knowledge

Knowing the type of information stakeholders need and expect from the CEO and being able to deliver it personally and with confidence is the hallmark of a successful, and more importantly, credible, CEO.

8. Accessibility and transparency

As the CEO, the person should lead by example. The organizations are going ‘flat’ leaving little or no room for hierarchy or isolation. To build an effective organization and in turn a winning team, the CEO must inform staff – both management and the ground level workers on the important decisions that might affect the company, rather than them hearing from the ‘grapevine’.

These qualities play significant role in producing a CEO reputation that is capable of driving a company’s performance. CEOs must also bear in mind that they are now being evaluated by criteria extending well beyond the company’s bottom line.