Forget the Soft Skills; it's All About the Numbers

An interesting study was released this week that showed, at least in the UK, that the top spot at the big companies is reserved for those of us with the number skills. Sales and marketing skills may be good for something, but if your goal is to get a capital 'c' in front of your name, it's time to master that calculator.

Out of 200 CEOs surveyed by the recruitment firm Robert Half, 32 possess a background in finance whereas only 9 have a background in marketing communications - the second most common background. Although I'm certainly biased, being a numbers guy myself, I have to agree that the findings are consistent with my own feelings about what companies need. With Sarbanes Oxley and other new demands on the executive management of our publicly traded companies, it only makes sense that the individuals responsible for singing-off on the reports their companies release to the public actually understand what it is that they're signing.