The United States is a nation defined by innovation and progress, and the country built its strong foundation on the hard work of many generations. Today – the United States is known for its fast pace of life, thriving cities, and booming businesses. At the core of every successful business are the business men and women who make up our country’s corporate culture. We often refer to them as executives, but what does it truly mean to be “executive”?
Authority – The Power to Make Decisions
One thing separates the dreamers from the do-ers: the ability to carry out your ideas and the authority to do so. Without power and influence, executives wouldn’t have the platform to implement their initiatives. Many times, in the corporate world, the ability to carry out ideas comes from having the funds to do so. Other times, authority and power come from title, and respect. Executives stand out in the corporate world – they’ve paved their way to power by establishing authority and commanding respect as an industry leader. Executives are go-getters, and they have the resources behind them to make significant progress.
Ambition
We’ve discussed that executives have the power to carry out their ideas. But a true executive also has the ability to create the ideas, rather than simply see ideas through. Executives aren’t always delegators: in fact, many of our country’s greatest executives are visionary powerhouses: they can create impactful concepts and they have the determination to see them through. Executives aren’t afraid to think of the big-picture, and they certainly aren’t afraid to share their ideas with the corporate world.
It’s not always easy to identify what drives an executive (whether it’s money, power, success, or the need to provide for a family) but all executives have one similar trait: ambition. Without ambition, many of our top executives today wouldn’t be driving progress in the corporate world. Ambition leads the way to progress, and without ambitious leaders, the United States wouldn’t be where it is today.
Perception
Executives can walk the walk (and talk the talk, too!). Imagine you’re walking down a busy NYC street, and you spot someone who immediately looks “corporate” to you. What do they look like? They’re probably well-dressed, authoritative, clean-cut, and decisive. They might walk briskly to demonstrate importance, and the clothes they wear are the perfect blend of business-like yet fashionable.
Executives know that appearance matters. In today’s corporate world, perception is everything. Executives let the world know they’re truly executive by dressing the part and exuding confidence. When you’re walking the streets of NYC, you know when an executive has arrived because they pull up in a luxurious limo, or a beautiful executive car, and they emerge from the vehicle assertively, and ready to do business.
What’s an Executive?
To truly be an executive, one must have the tools, and the ambition, to make things happen. Executives are visionaries, and implementers. Executives are stylish, but professional. Executives are influential, authoritative, and go-getters. We live in a nation built from the hard work and determination of our hard-workers, our dreamers, and our business men and women. Leading the forefront of innovation are our executives, and truly, anyone can be an executive with the right amount of good fortune, resources, and most importantly, purpose.
