Here are the three ways ghSmart found CEOs without college degrees climbed the corporate ladder.
1. Become a proven insider. A college degree brings instant credibility for many people, but experience with industry-specific knowledge can more than make up for academic credentials. The ghSmart study found 89 percent of CEOs without college degrees “grew up” in the industry in which they are currently a CEO and spent 40 percent more time in their industry than their peers with degrees.
2. Overindex on results. CEOs without a college degree rely on their results to speak for themselves, and many thrive on the low expectations superiors have for them early in their careers.
3. Be a talent magnet. The ghSmart study found CEOs without college degrees were more likely to be proactive in surrounding themselves with talented, high-achieving individuals. These executives are humble and feel no shame in leaning on their team for valuable contributions.
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