Engineers are taking boardrooms by storm. Did you know that some of the top-performing CEOs worldwide probably have an engineering degree? Tech-driven CEOs have been the front lines of the world’s most famous companies and brands like Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and Amazon. It all began with the simple fact of wanting to solve a specific problem.
The skill to solve problems by looking into each detail is in the genes of engineers, and their ability to look beyond a business idea lets them stand distinct from regular CEOs.
What Makes an Engineer CEO so Special?
The ultimate goal of any business is to help people by solving their problems. The ultimate goal of an engineer is to help people by solving their problems.
Separately, it makes perfect sense. Together, they have a bigger impact.
A CEO is not just a position; it’s the brain of a company, just like an engineer is the brain of a project, finding the problems and solving them on a real-world basis. We can take it back to the times of Henry Ford or Edith Clarke who proved how engineers have the innate capacity to be excellent leaders and outstanding good business managers.
They pay attention to details and take the risks…
Being an engineer demands strong mental aptitude and a willingness to pay attention to minute details that others may ignore. The fact that engineers are drilled from their earliest days to be meticulous helps propel them to success when they assume a leadership position within a company.
While engineers are often described as introverts, this quality by no means stops them from being effective leaders who inspire brilliance in their respective position.
In addition, Engineers are often excellent CEOs because of the systematic way that they’re taught to approach the world and the problems they’ll find within it. A perfect example would be Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella who studied electrical engineering and since 2014 has helped the company turn itself around in the face of ferocious competition and made bold and calculated moves that pushed the company forward in both revenue and mission by 2018.
They persevere, persevere, persevere…
“Sometimes life is going to hit you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith.” – Steve Jobs
Relentless perseverance is the heart of Engineer CEOs. Known for their stubbornness, especially when things aren’t working like they’re supposed to, they’ll keep trying new methods and coming up with creative and innovative strategies until it does work.
Those who are capable of fully embracing the strong engineering mindset are more likely to understand each and every facet of their business.
They’re immersed in the tech world…
Being fixated on optimization and productivity, their unique understanding of modern technologies is proof that engineers have consistently proven themselves to be excellent CEOs. After all, to grow a company, they must know where innovation is going. Engineers cherish doing things way better, quicker, and let’s face it, cost-efficient, all qualities that differentiate one CEO from another.
Want to Run a Company One Day?
An engineering degree is just what you need.
Leaders like Google CEO Larry Page, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, and Apple CEO Tim Cook have graduate engineering degrees, in addition to their MBAs.
The twist: they are all life-long learners.
Engineers are also profoundly aware of the need to keep on learning because of how quickly the industry can change. Technology evolves so quickly that you have to stay in a mode of continuous learning.
An engineering background gives a CEO a leg up as a ‘native speaker’ in a world increasingly dependent upon advanced technology.
ESiLV’s master in engineering majors offer a well-framed academic space for future leaders and engineers to create technical and scientific innovative solutions using digital tools in an optimal way, manage complex projects using methods and tools in a business situation, and work in interdisciplinary, intercultural, and international teams
Engineers have consistently proven themselves to be excellent CEOs, are you next?