Do Risk Takers Make Good Leaders?
![high-risk-[Converted] high-risk-[Converted]](https://groco.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/high-risk-Converted.png)
There are countless stories of leaders in the business world that have taken great risks in order to become successful. The fact is there is risk in almost any professional decision a person makes. Some choices carry much great risker than others, but risk is part of every decision we make. While you often hear about the great risks taken by some of the most successful business people and company leaders in the world, what you might not hear as much about their failures because of the unsuccessful risks they have taken. However, just about every great CEO or successful business leader will tell you that its the failures that have really led them to be successful, which is why you have to be willing to continue taking risks, even they turn out the way you had hope.
Characteristics of a Leader
Ajay Banga, president and chief executive officer of MasterCard and a member of its board of directors, is a great example of this. During an event at Stanford University several months back, Mr. Banga was asked to share one or two personality traits or characteristics about himself that have helped set him apart and allowed him to enjoy so much success compared to some other people that might not have achieved as much in their careers, or those who have seen their careers stall. Mr. Banga said that humility and the willingness to take risks are two big characteristics that have helped set him apart. “If you’re not willing to learn from people and always adapt or adjust and progress in your mind,” you can’t be successful. Mr. Banga said, “I don’t know that you can diverse [humility] from success. I think it’s actually a key part of who you are and how successful you can be.” He added: “I think you can be successful without humility, but you won’t enjoy it as much.
Being a Risk a Successful Risk Taker
The second characteristic Mr. Banga discussed was the ability or willingness to take risks, in both your life and your career. Many of the world’s greatest business leaders are known to take big risks. That doesn’t mean they make huge decisions on a whim without any deep thought and consideration of all the possible outcomes. However, after careful consideration and calculation they end up taking educated risks, often resulting in big rewards. Mr. Banga feels that in order to be a good leader you have to be a risk taker. However, he’s not just simply referring to changing jobs or careers. He said you have to be willing to be a risk taker in all aspects of your life and career.
How Do Leaders Continue to Improve Their Leadership Skills?
How Do Leaders Continue to Improve Their Leadership Skills? What makes a great leader? This is a topic that I have discussed with many of the country’s top business leaders over the years. Everyone answers this question in his or her own unique way, they typically end up describing the same types of traits and…
What Do You Value in a Company?
What Do You Value in a Company? Startup companies are a dime-a-dozen, and many of them are looking for investment help from larger companies or in most cases investment bankers, also known as venture capitalists. Venture capitalists have a lot of money at their disposal but they don’t become successful by simply tossing money at…
Where Do You Find Good Ideas To Start A Business?
Where Do You Find Good Ideas To Start A Business? Just about everybody has a great idea from time to time. Some people run with those ideas and set out a course to make those ideas become a reality. Other ideas never get off the ground because they never move beyond the idea stage. Often…
Six Secrets of Effective Networking
Six Secrets of Effective Networking What’s in a network? Not your social network, but rather your business network. Networking is a well-known principle that continues to grow in the age of the Internet. Not only do people spend countless hours using their social networks, but also more and more business professionals and companies use digital…