Facebook founder and owner, Mark Zuckerberg, proved that technical skills supported by the right leadership and soft skills is the recipe to success. At the age of 23, he became the world’s youngest self-made billionaire. Being a very influential person, he modernised the way in which we communicate. There is a lot one can learn from him:
- Attitude determines Altitude. This comes from the initial quote by Zig Ziglar: “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.” There is a lot of truth in these words. If you have the right attitude in life, in relationships and towards others, it paves the way to success. Zuckerberg is a self-made billionaire. He knew that nothing would come easy. You have to work hard and stay motivated. Be persistent and dedicated.
- Critical Thinking. Critical Thinking can be defined as the process of breaking down complex information into components to analyse, interpret, evaluate and construct reasoned arguments in order to solve a problem or reach a conclusion. Zuckerberg optimised this skill. He does not just accept ideas but likes to dig deeper and think more critically in order to get the maximum value out of an idea to the extent that it is disruptive.
- Teamwork and workforce. To become successful and run a lucrative business doesn’t come by doing everything and anything yourself. It is impossible to achieve something great without a strong team with the right people and skills to support you. Facebook employs people with passion and then they upskill them. Zuckerberg walks around getting to know his employees and this makes them feel part of the team. He leads his team by example. “I think as a company, if you can get those two things right–having a clear direction on what you are trying to do and bringing in great people who can execute on the stuff–then you can do pretty well.” -Mark Zuckerberg
- Practicing Mindfulness.Zuckerberg said in an *article written by Cynthia Johnson and published online on 22 December 2015 by Forbes.com: “I learned that the ability to ignore the noise around me has helped me to use the energy I would have wasted on worrying about what others thought of me. I use it to fuel creativity, innovation and actions that have furthered my business success. Taking a mindful approach to what you want to accomplish – and blocking out the rest – is critical.”
- Communication.Billionaire entrepreneurs all agree that communication, whether interpersonal or organizational, is a necessity for the success of their business. There are a lot of sources that confirm that Zuckerberg stays engaged but without micro-managing. His employees say that he is committed to effective and regular communication, clearly one of the key skills to ensure his success.
We bet that Mark Zuckerberg gets asked the following questions on a regular basis: What’s your secret to success? How do you keep yourself motivated and driven? How did you get to where you are today? We believe that it is a strong relationship between drive, self-motivation, hard work, talent, technical skills and a whole lot of well-developed soft skills that make him a fantastic leader inside his business and ultimately an industry leader.