Dec 06, 2016 12:45 PM EST By Audri Taylors, UniversityHerald Reporter

Becoming a CEO is a very serious task and responsibility and if any individual aspires to be one, he or she must possess the skills that will set him apart from the other employees. Some people are naturally born with these skills and are called natural leaders because of their innate ability to motivate and drive people towards success. But for the others, here are some of the most important skills they have to learn and develop over time.

•  Learning when to say "no". As a CEO, you'd want to grab every single opportunity once it arrives but they all come up at the same, you can't take all of them at once. You have to learn to decide which ones are worth saying "yes" to. Consider if these are the opportunities you can maximize for the growth of your company.

•  Pitching skills. As a CEO, you are in a constant lookout for ideas and markets because opportunities don't always come knocking at your door. Pitching is a skill that doesn't come easy, you have to learn it and be very good at it.

•  Reading financials. This is a skill that can be learned although it would be best if you already have a background at reading financial statements before you get into the business. Go back to school if you must, because business finance is one of the most important things you will have to master to understand the status of your business.

•  Taking criticism. As a CEO, it is important for you to be receptive of what other people would have to say and you should not be taking them personally. Those things are great learning opportunities if you take them positively. You don't necessarily have to work to please them, but take their opinions into consideration for the good and welfare of everyone.

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