What separates a CEO from a high-level manager?

CEOs are very important for organizations. They create the strategies for the company and ensure they are correctly executed. Alongside CEOs are high-level managers. These individuals are also invested in the success of the business. They are influential and needed for the organization to prosper.

So what separates a CEO from a high-level manager? Is there a certain type of person that is more likely to be a CEO? A recent article entitled “Distinguishing CEOs from Top Level Management: A Profile Analysis of Individual Differences, Career Paths, and Demographics” in the Journal of Business and Psychology.

Booth and colleagues (2016) examined differences in cognitive traits and personality in 112 CEOs and 1040 high-level managers. Of the 30 characteristics examined, there were only four that revealed differences between CEOs and high-level managers. In comparison to high-level managers, CEOs have:

Lower impulsivity: Lower tendency to act on impulse

Lower vulnerability: Less susceptible to stress

Higher activity: Faster pace of living

Higher dutifulness: Strong need to fulfill moral obligations

The aforementioned traits could be very useful to CEOs given their key role in an organization. Organizational leaders need to keep their cool and avoid stress, while still operating at a fast pace. Leaders who aim to fulfill moral obligations are also valuable when it comes to sustaining an organization.

In addition to cognitive traits and personality, the researchers also examined differences in career paths. The only major difference between the CEOs and high-level managers was the experience of working abroad. Approximately 65% of CEOs had worked abroad whereas only 28% of high-level managers had worked abroad.

This study demonstrates that there is not just one type of cookie-cutter person that becomes a CEO. CEOs are diverse in their characteristics. However, having experience abroad may be a good thing if you aspire to be a CEO.