Have you heard that some people are called "hedgehogs"? Quite often, such a stigma hangs on the general directors of companies. This concept arose from an essay about Leo Tolstoy written by Isaiah Berlin. Apart from hedgehogs, he also established an opposing concept – "foxes." What do they mean?

"Hedgehogs" are people that are focused on one area and know everything about it. As already mentioned, CEOs make up this type. Why? To get their position, they went through a rather difficult path. This experience helped them to gain a perfect understanding of the work process. Their power is professionalism and the desire to reach goals.

"Foxes," on the contrary, can prove themselves in everything and are not professional in one area. Yet, they are not far behind. They impress with their flexibility. These people had time to work in various fields, which significantly affected their future. This experience pushes foxes to discover new ways that lead to successful results. Besides, they know how to communicate with different people and invent something new. This is why the author stated in his book that most CEOs are foxes.

Who are outsiders, and what are they like? For the first time, these people could hold the position of general director. Modesty, the ability to properly manage finances, analytical thinking – these typical features refer to them. According to their personality type, outsiders are more inclined toward investors than managers. They are not so confident in their abilities. Outsiders hide from the press and do not enjoy corporate benefits.

These people are always waiting for the right moment to invest or buy. Their strategy is to buy stocks but use them for cheap capital when the price goes up. Outsiders are ready to go even to extreme measures. They monitor share prices in the market and can even reduce the number of shares in their company.

One can conclude that CEOs are outsiders. Want to know more about them? Let’s observe their way of life.