Determinants in attaining the position of Chief Executive Officer

grantor: University of TorontoThe purpose of this study was to make explicit the factors that lead to the attainment of a position as a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a major corporation. In order to fulfill this purpose, qualitative research methodology was used to collect the data. Participants were nine CEOs of major Canadian corporations. The only parameters placed on the sampling process were that three CEOs were to be chosen from each of the private, public, and voluntary sectors and at least one of the three participants from each sector was to be a woman. No attempt was made to match participants on any other defining characteristic such as place of birth, age, religious faith, marital status, or the length of tenure with a corporation or as a CEO. Revenues of the corporations were to be in excess of $30,000,000. The results of the study show that self-confidence is an important factor in attaining this position, although it is developmental in nature. At some point, the participants saw themselves as being capable of handling the demands of the position. Though academic achievement is a factor in attaining positions at a less senior level, it is a reputation for consistently producing outstanding results that is a key determinant in attaining the position of CEO. Personal traits that distinguished the participants include the ability to conceptualize problems, find creative but practical solutions, and inspire others to implement them. Other characteristics include a passion for excellence, commitment and dedication to their work, personal accountability, and integrity. It would appear that prestige and money were not determinants that underpinned their occupational choices. Rather, occupational interests appear to have been the means to find a resolution to an existential problem or over-arching tension that developed during the years they were growing up. Thus, their motivation to aspire to positions of leadership was underpinned by a need for achievement, social recognition, autonomy, affiliation, change, or a combination thereof. Mentors played a role in the success of some of the CEOs. In the early stages of their careers, mentors offered encouragement and provided opportunities for practical experience in the development of their leadership skills. There is no doubt that chance events were a contributing factor in attaining a position as a CEO for about a third of the participants. However, the consequences of the event could not have happened without some previous action on their part. They had made choices that placed themselves in the right place at the right time to take advantage of these fortuitous events. Gender differences were negligible, although the women perceived that they would not have attained the position without a graduate degree. The phenomena of the glass ceiling was not an issue.Ed.D