Additional Qualities of a CEO : 

In business, timing and ability to act swiftly with assertiveness are very important. Even the most well intentioned project looses it’s relevance if it gets delayed.This assumes great relevance, in the light of  fierce competition and innovation with disruptive technology, that dictate survival of  a firm in today’s corporate world. While decisions are often made by CEOs, they have to be well informed ones - based on reliable data converted in to useful knowledge. Above all he or she should  be bestowed with courage to take bold decisions and not bogged down by fear of failure. These are highlighted in the following Kural. 

தூங்காமை, கல்வி, துணிவுடமை, இம்மூன்றும்

நீங்கா நிலமாள்பவர்கு (383)

Thoogamai, Kalvi, Thunivudamai, Immoondrum

Neenga Nila Malbavarkku    

காலம் தாழ்த்தாத விரைவான செய்கைகளும், கற்பதினால் பெற்ற அறிவாற்றலும், துணிவும் அரசனுக்கு நிலைத்து நிற்க வேண்டிய பண்புகளாகும்

Action without delay (Alertness), knowledge acquired through education and courage to act are three vital qualities a king should posses without fail.

Motivation ( ஊக்கம்)

  Apart from the above seven qualities, a chief executive must be a highly motivated person who should probagate positive energy to everyone working with him.

The Tamil word ‘ookkam” signifies combination of enthusiastic energy, zeal and diligence, inspiration and self actualisation with un-quenched interest in life. Thiruvalluvar terms this quality alone being the true wealth, as, even if one does not have any other wealth, Motivation will drive him to to earn all of them. On the other hand, even if one is lucky to possess all other material wealth, absence of motivation will eradicate it. Hence, one’s true lasting wealth is nothing but Motivation.

A case in point is the true storey of wealthy Indians who were driven out of Uganda(present Zimbabwe  over night, by the then dictator Idi Amin, rendering them penniless overnight. They migrated to United Kingdom and other countries, re-started their life from scratch and became millionaires again. Great companies and institutions are the result of ordinary individuals with extraordinary motivation and will power to achieve their goal.

For a chief executive, this is the most important quality, as he can overcome any trouble without getting bogged down by crisis and work with fire in the belly to take the organization to great heights. Business cycles with their ups and downs are common occurrences and no executive can afford to lose motivation as that trait alone will help him to pull the whole organisation out of crisis to glory.    

The Great sage had stressed this aspect in unequivocal term signifying it importance in the Kural below. 

 உடைய ரெனப்படுவது ஊக்கம் அஃதிலார்

 உடையது உடையரோ மற்று  (591)

 Udaiya Renappaduvathu Ookkam Akthilaar

 Udaiyadhu Udaiyaro Matru

  ஊக்கம் உள்ளவரே செல்வந்தர், அது இல்லாதவர்க்கு செல்வம்

 என்று வேறு என்ன இருக்க முடியும் ?

Those with motivation only posses true wealth; therefore, how others who lack in it, can be considered to have any wealth at all ?