Across various companies and industries, certain leadership traits stand out as the most valuable, and those who possess them are revered as exceptional leaders.
In the 2015 Fortune 500 CEO survey, CEOs reported which leaders they admire the most (excluding themselves). Two chiefs came in at a tie: Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, and Jamie Dimon, chairman, president and CEO of JPMorgan Chase.
The leader most respected by CEOs is former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, followed by two other leaders who came in at a tie: Winston Churchill, former Prime Minister of the U.K., and Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, according to the survey.
Most CEOs named "Good to Great" by Jim Collins as their favorite book, and "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell was runner up.
Other interesting findings from the survey are shown below.
- The most CEOs indicated the top three biggest challenges facing their companies are the rapid pace of technological innovation (72 percent), cybersecurity (66 percent) and increased regulation (61 percent).
- 57 percent of CEOs said another Fortune 500 company is their biggest competitor, while 24 percent pointed to a smaller established company and 16 percent said an overseas competitor.
- 94 percent of respondents agree with the statement, "My company will change more in the next five years than it has in the last five years."
- 84 percent agree with the statement, "It would be easier to manage my company if it were a private company."
- 67 percent say a public company has equal responsibility to customers, shareholders, employees and the broader community.
- 51 percent think it is important to take a stand on some public issues.
- 76 percent of respondents think society will benefit "if employees take responsibility for their own healthcare and retirement."
- 75 percent of CEOs believe CEOs are paid appropriately.