As an important cabinet-level position that reports directly to the superintendent and board of education, the school business official (SBO) often holds the second most powerful position in the district. Along with calls for fiscal and educational accountability, this elevated stature underscores the need for business officials to have leadership skills to complement their critical technical skills. To better understand the leadership skills that today's SBOs need in their evolving role, the authors surveyed hundreds of ASBO members. Clearly, SBOs agree that budget, financial resource management, administration, and compliance are the most essential skills. Based on the results of this survey, the authors conclude that SBOs view technical skills as more essential than leadership skills in their position. (Contains 4 tables.)