Launch your leadership career
With years of experience and strong job performance, you may qualify for leadership positions. Supplement your qualifications with targeted education to help raise your career ceiling.
What does a leader do?
Leaders occupy managerial positions with decision-making authority at organizations of all types. Larger organizations often have hierarchical leadership structures that begin with middle managers and ascend to top executives.
The exact responsibilities of professionals in leadership positions vary by industry, organization size, and level of responsibility. However, they generally include:
- Determining and communicating an organizational vision.
- Defining organizational objectives and performance targets.
- Cultivating an organizational culture and motivating employees.
- Making operational, strategic, and tactical decisions.
- Monitoring organizational progress toward key objectives.
In many cases, leaders also play an important role in selecting employees for recruitment and promotion, mediating conflict, managing change, and driving innovation.
Organizations may promote leaders from within, recruit them externally, or both. In most cases, leadership positions require extensive experience, in-depth knowledge of the organization, and well-developed communication, decision-making, problem-solving, and relationship-building skills.
| Job growth (2024-34) | +4% |
|---|---|
| Projected annual openings | 331,000 |
Your path to becoming a leader
Becoming an effective leader requires a combination of in-field experience and developmental training. Good leaders also cultivate a specific leadership style that aligns with their organization's culture.
You can begin building this profile at any stage of your career:
For career starters
When starting your career, you can build toward leadership positions by:
- Taking standalone leadership courses.
- Earning a leadership certificate.
- Adding a bachelor's degree in leadership to your profile.
For career starters
When starting your career, you can build toward leadership positions by:
- Taking standalone leadership courses.
- Earning a leadership certificate.
- Adding a bachelor's degree in leadership to your profile.
Programs that can prepare you for a leadership role
What do you need to learn to work as a leader?
Essential skillsets
- Interpersonal skills and communication skills
- Creativity and innovative thinking
- Employee engagement and motivation
- Decision-making
- Negotiation, mediation, and conflict resolution
Educational requirements
- Educational requirements vary by role.
- Professionals in leadership positions usually have at least a bachelor's degree.
- Many organizational leaders hold graduate degrees or MBA degrees with role- or industry-specific concentrations.
Licenses/Certifications: Do I need one?
You may need a professional license or certification for certain leadership positions, depending on the nature of the role.
Examples include:
- Medical directors, who are also often physicians.
- School principals and superintendents, who often have state-level educational leadership certification.
- Top finance executives, who may benefit from or be required to have advanced finance certifications.
Leadership industry insights
People are often drawn to leadership careers by the prestige and high earning potential they offer. Professionals in top-tier leadership positions rank among the best-compensated workers: According to the BLS, chief executives earned a median salary of $206,420 in 2024, more than four times the median annual wage across all occupations.
In both the public and private sectors, leadership positions begin at the middle management level and continue to the upper executive ranks. Top executives are also known as "C-suite" professionals, since their job titles identify them as the "chief" officer of a particular organizational function.
Common examples, and their general profiles, include:
- Chief executive officer (CEO): The CEO is a company's highest-ranking executive, who bears the ultimate authority and responsibility for its operations and performance.
- Chief operating officer (COO): The COO is the top executive responsible for managing daily operations and optimizing cost efficiency.
- Chief financial officer (CFO): CFOs are senior finance executives who oversee all financial operations, including budgeting, planning, capital allocation, and investing.
- Chief marketing officer (CMO): The CMO heads a company's marketing team, leading branding initiatives, product positioning, and advertising campaigns and messaging.
Some organizations also have other specialized C-suite roles, such as chief compliance officer, chief technology officer, chief revenue officer, and chief diversity officer.
The BLS projects that jobs for organizational leaders will grow by 4% from 2024 to 2034, including general and operations managers, top executives, and chief executives.
These career paths are highly competitive and often attract strong performers motivated by advancement. Targeted leadership training can help you reach this level.
Industries you could work in
- Retail and wholesale trade
- Technology
- Financial and professional services
- Construction
- Manufacturing
- Healthcare
Common job titles
- General manager
- Operations manager
- Administrative director
- Vice-president or president
- Chief executive officer
Professional associations
- American Management Association
- American Society of Association Executives
- Association for Talent Development
- International Leadership Association
- National Society of Leadership and Success
Top 5 paying industries for leaders
The BLS data identifies the following as the five top-paying industries for chief executives:
| Industry | Average annual salary (May 2024) |
|---|---|
| Oil and gas extraction | $826,360 |
| Spectator sports | $712,780 |
| Petroleum and coal products manufacturing | $491,220 |
| Motion picture and video industries | $479,330 |
| Cut and sew apparel manufacturing | $454,270 |
The BLS data identifies the following as the five top-paying industries for general and operations managers:
| Industry | Average annual salary (May 2024) |
|---|---|
| Monetary authorities — central bank | $266,810 |
| Securities, commodity contracts, and other financial investments and related activities | $238,940 |
| Agents and managers for artists, athletes, entertainers, and other public figures | $226,610 |
| Media streaming distribution services, social networks, other media networks, and content providers | $223,360 |
| Scientific research and development services | $214,140 |
Leadership career track
Reaching a position of leadership often marks the culmination of years of focused, determined effort. The journey typically begins with earning a degree and securing an entry-level job. From there, you can establish an upward career trajectory through dedication, strong work performance, and a commitment to professional development.
Over time, you may earn promotions into middle management roles. During this stage, you can pursue additional education that can help support your continued advancement. An MBA can help you qualify for leadership roles, but you can also pursue leadership development through a master's in organizational leadership or a master's in management program.
To break through to the upper levels of leadership, you must have a strong understanding of both your organization and your industry. As Harvard Business Review notes, C-suite positions today require a combination of general business management and leadership proficiencies rather than role-specific technical knowledge.
During your journey, you will likely encounter significant challenges, including competition for advancement, industry changes, and economic downturns. Agility is key: Successful leaders constantly find ways to refresh their professional profiles to stay relevant.
Burnout can happen, so prioritize work-life balance throughout your career. This can be particularly challenging when you aspire to competitive, high-level roles, so it may help to identify the personal sacrifices you are — and aren't — willing to make.
The following table offers a general breakdown of some of the job titles and roles you may occupy during your career:
Early career roles
1-4 years
- Account executive
- Business analyst
- Financial analyst
- Operations analyst
Mid-career roles
5-10 years
- Departmental manager
- General or operations manager
- Project manager
- Sales manager
Late career roles
11-15 years
- Business director
- Regional or departmental vice-president
- Senior or executive vice-president
- President
C-suite
(15+ years)
- Chief executive officer
- Chief financial officer
- Chief marketing officer
- Chief operating officer
Ready to advance your career?