Most Important Skills for a CEO and Co-Founder at Gaiascope
Lauren, CEO and Co-Founder at Gaiascope, identifies two crucial skills for her role: managing "uncertainty and ambiguity," and maintaining "an absurd level of optimism," essential for navigating the uncharted territory of a novel startup where success is not guaranteed and requires unwavering belief in the team's ability to overcome challenges. The ability to persevere with this mindset is key to leading a company creating something completely new.
Executive/Leadership, Overcoming Challenges, Resilience, Ambiguity Management, Optimism
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Lauren Kuntz
CEO and Co-Founder
Gaiascope
MIT
Harvard, PhD 2018
Biology & Related Sciences, Engineering - Mechanical
Energy & Utilities
Data and Analytics
Scholarship Recipient, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Dealing with uncertainty and ambiguity is critical for success.
2. Maintaining a high level of optimism is essential for navigating challenges and setbacks.
3. A strong belief in one's team and the ability to figure things out is crucial for leading a startup.
Transcript
What skills are most important for a job like yours?
I honestly think the most important skills are twofold. One is dealing with uncertainty and ambiguity. The other is an almost absurd level of optimism.
Part of it is when you're leading a company and doing something truly novel. There isn't a playbook, and you have to be okay living in a space where you don't know what tomorrow or next year will look like. It's your job to help guide people to figure that out.
Being okay with that ambiguity is critical; otherwise, it'll drive you crazy. The other skill comes down to optimism.
Whenever you're doing a startup or something new, especially when you've founded it and are leading it, you don't know if you'll succeed. You're literally trying something that nobody has succeeded at before. If they had, a company already doing what you're trying to do would exist.
So, you almost have to have an insane belief in your team's ability and embody that sense of, "We will figure it out, and it's okay." We don't have the answer, but I have so much optimism and faith in what we're doing that despite any setbacks, you maintain the conviction that you'll figure it out.
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