Moving from a managerial position to the CEO role is a leap that goes far beyond a new title and a better office (or at least a bigger one). It’s a transition that demands a complete shift in how you lead, think, and operate. If you’re not building the right leadership habits, your career might hit a plateau, or worse, a downward spiral. The truth is, the habits you develop as a leader can make or break your career.

What separates average leaders from extraordinary CEOs isn’t just experience or a fancy MBA. It’s the small, consistent leadership habits that shape big decisions and influence teams. If you’re ready to level up, here are seven leadership habits that will make or break your career, backed by research and expert insights.

1. Cultivating Self-Awareness (Because No One Likes a Clueless Boss)

Great leaders aren’t just aware of their business, they’re aware of themselves. Self-awareness is the foundation of emotional intelligence and directly impacts decision-making, team morale, and personal growth.

Research in the Harvard Business Review highlights that most professionals lack accurate self-awareness, especially in workplace settings (Dierdorff & Rubin, 2015). This gap can lead to blind spots in decision-making, miscommunication, and a failure to inspire confidence in others.

How to Build It:

• Ask for honest feedback (and actually listen).
• Reflect on your leadership style and decisions regularly.
• Work with a mentor or executive coach, because even CEOs need guidance.

The Bottom Line: If you don’t know your own blind spots, trust me, your team does.

2. Fostering Open Communication (No, Mind-Reading is Not a Leadership Skill)

You might have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t communicate them effectively, your team is left playing a frustrating game of corporate charades. Transparent communication isn’t just about clarity, it builds trust, encourages collaboration, and eliminates workplace drama (mostly).

Research in Harvard Business Review found that effective leaders use different communication styles depending on their team’s needs, and this flexibility is directly linked to stronger organizational performance (Goleman, 2000).

How to Build It:

• Hold regular, open-dialogue meetings.
• Encourage employees to voice concerns and ideas without fear of retaliation.
• Master the art of active listening, yes, that means no checking your phone while someone’s talking.

The Bottom Line: If your team doesn’t know where you stand, they’ll fill in the blanks, and it won’t be flattering.

3. Demonstrating Integrity (AKA, Do What You Say You’ll Do)

Integrity is not just a buzzword, it’s what separates respected leaders from cautionary tales. The best CEOs follow through on commitments, make ethical decisions, and don’t throw their team under the bus when things go south.

According to Managing Business Ethics, leaders who demonstrate integrity consistently build trust, loyalty, and higher team performance (Treviño & Nelson, 2011). Employees want to work for someone they trust, not someone who changes their values depending on the audience.

How to Build It:

• Be transparent about challenges, honesty builds credibility.
• Admit mistakes (yes, even CEOs make them).
• Set the ethical tone for your organization, your team will follow your lead.

The Bottom Line: If you wouldn’t trust yourself, why should your team?

4. Encouraging Innovation (Because Playing It Safe is the Fastest Route to Irrelevance)

The best CEOs don’t just maintain businesses, they transform them. Encouraging innovation means creating an environment where employees feel empowered to share ideas, take smart risks, and challenge outdated processes.

A study in Research in Organizational Behavior found that innovation flourishes in organizations where leaders create a culture of psychological safety and open experimentation (Amabile & Pratt, 2016).

How to Build It:

• Celebrate new ideas, even the crazy ones.
• Give employees the autonomy to experiment and iterate.
• Invest in professional development and cross-functional collaboration.

The Bottom Line: If your leadership style is about maintaining the status quo, you’re leading your company into stagnation.

5. Practicing Empathy (Yes, You Need More Than Just Business Smarts)

Empathy isn’t about being a soft leader, it’s about understanding your team, customers, and stakeholders on a deeper level. CEOs who genuinely care about people foster stronger workplace cultures, higher employee retention, and increased customer loyalty.

Research published in The Leadership Quarterly found that leaders with high emotional intelligence inspire greater commitment and performance from their teams (Cooper, Scandura, & Schriesheim, 2005).

How to Build It:

• Get to know your employees beyond their job titles.
• Consider different perspectives before making big decisions.
• Show appreciation regularly, people remember how you make them feel.

The Bottom Line: People don’t quit bad jobs; they quit bad leaders.

6. Commitment to Continuous Learning (Because No One Has All the Answers, Not Even You)

The most successful leaders never stop learning because keeping sharp can make or break your company and your career. Whether it’s industry trends, leadership development, or new technologies, great CEOs keep evolving.

A study in Leadership & Organization Development Journal found that leaders who prioritize learning are more adaptable, resilient, and effective decision-makers (Brown & Posner, 2001).

How to Build It:

• Read books, listen to podcasts, and attend leadership conferences.
• Surround yourself with smart people who challenge your thinking.
• Stay curious, ask questions and embrace new perspectives.

The Bottom Line: If you think you already know everything, you’re probably falling behind.

7. Building Resilience (Because Setbacks Are Inevitable, But How You Handle Them Defines You)

Let’s be real, CEO life isn’t all smooth sailing. Challenges, failures, and unexpected crises come with the territory. Resilience is what separates leaders who crumble under pressure from those who rise stronger.

Research in Positive Organizational Scholarship suggests that resilient leaders are better equipped to manage crises, maintain team morale, and foster a culture of perseverance (Luthans & Avolio, 2003).

How to Build It:

• View failures as learning opportunities, not personal setbacks.
• Prioritize mental and physical well-being, burnout helps no one.
• Develop a strong support network of mentors, advisors, and peers.

The Bottom Line: You don’t need to be fearless, you just need to keep going.

Moving from manager to CEO is more than just a promotion, it’s a transformation. The leadership habits you develop along the way will make or break your career, determining whether you become a visionary leader or just another executive in the crowd.

The good news? Leadership isn’t about being perfect, it’s about being intentional. Master these habits, stay authentic, and lead with purpose. Your future CEO self will thank you.