Before entering management, GMs should have first proven themselves in their core industries. Usually they work for a while as operations managers, then slowly work their way up the corporate ladder. Having a four-year degree from an Ivy League or Big Ten school can accelerate the process. Many GMs have an advanced degree in business, law, management, finance, computer science, or marketing. An increasing number are entrepreneurs who founded their organizations.
GMs can expect to be in the spotlight most of the time.
Every decision they make and every policy they set is subject to scrutiny by those around them. There will be no place to hide. CEOs and presidents of large organizations are the stars of the corporate world. They are given as little privacy as their Hollywood movie-star counterparts. The trade press follows a GM's every move closely.