All leaders must work daily to build on their skills and become more effective leaders.
Fast Company shares tips from Verizon Chairman and CEO Hans Vestberg about how leaders can work to improve their skills.
- Take stock every day. Every morning, Vestberg reflects on his mood during the previous day and gives himself a score from one to 10, with scores of three to seven being his sweet spot. If he assigns himself a one or two, he knows he was not effective that day and needs to take steps to improve his score. If he scores an eight or higher, he is too excited, and his energy could be draining for other people rather than engaging them. He also tracks how he spends his time every day to ensure he is focused on vital issues and tasks only a CEO can address.
- Have a “boss contract.” In his first managerial job, Vestberg shared a memo with his supervisor that included five goals, establishing expectations and detailing the achievements and value he would bring. When he became CEO of Verizon, his version of the “boss contract” was a white paper he shared with the board of directors, explaining his vision.
- Talk to key stakeholders weekly. Vestberg speaks with 30 people in different roles within the company every week to keep him connected regarding what is happening in various areas of the company. He says it also is valuable to establish these relationships so people do not just hear from the CEO when something goes wrong.
