The most important qualities in a CEO

There's no "right" way to be a health system CEO. Often, the role requires multitudes: the board might need a numbers whiz, executive teams might need a sense of direction, employees might need a good listener. But when it comes down to it, which traits are "nonnegotiable" for the person at the helm? 

Becker's has explored this question recently, diving into the trends of "quiet management" and "soft CEOs," which bolster a CEO's communication style and social behavior over their financial or strategic prowess. 

On Becker's LinkedIn page, we posed the question to our audience: "Which of the following skill sets do you find most important in a CEO?" Indeed, soft skills appeared to take the cake, with respondents upvoting words that evoke approachability and candor. 

Here are the results of the poll, based on 1,318 votes: 

1. Honesty and openness: 59% of respondents voted this 

2. Compassion and empathy: 22%

3. Financial, technical knowledge: 12%

4. Charisma, public speaking: 7%

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