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Ever wondered what REALLY makes a great CEO? Is it money? School? Luck? I broke it all down—here’s what the top-performing CEOs have in common (and it might surprise you). Let’s start with the names you know: Tim Cook Elon Musk Warren Buffett Michael Dell Tony Hsieh Reed Hastings What do these folks have in common? Let’s dig in. yes, the money is there. But it’s not just about that. Did they go to fancy schools? Some did, sure. But many didn’t! Surprisingly, there’s a mix of Ivy League grads, public university alums, and even dropouts! Examples: Michael Dell – dropout Richard Branson – no college Tony Hsieh – Harvard Elon Musk – UPenn & Stanford (briefly) How did they become CEO? Did they start the company or climb the ladder? Turns out, it’s a split: Self-made: Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Michael Dell Promoted: Tim Cook, Ursula Burns, Indra Nooyi Both paths work—it’s more about how you lead. What about social clout? Many CEOs are social media ghosts, but a few rockstars stand out: Elon Musk – King of Twitter Richard Branson – Social & fun Mark Cuban – Engaged & vocal So clout helps, but it’s not required. Downtime matters. Yes, they hustle, but they also unwind: Warren Buffett – Plays ukulele Mark Cuban – Basketball Oprah – Reading Marissa Mayer – Tech tinkering Indra Nooyi – Empowerment work Balance is key, even at the top. So what REALLY matters? Research shows that top CEOs share core traits, not just flashy titles: Passionate Visionary Resilient Adaptable Communicates well Builds a strong culture Makes tough decisions Advocates for customers Character > Resume. Want to become a top CEO? Start with YOU: Build resilience Stay curious Communicate with impact Never stop learning And most importantly… Lead with vision.