Those in current leadership positions were chosen because of what they had done in the past. However, the leaders of tomorrow will be selected on what they can potentially achieve.
The focus in the past was to hire someone who could demonstrate each of the competencies outlined for that role. We were also looking at their experience, often from within the same industry and in a similar role.
Fiona Smith in here article The four qualities every successful leader now needs according to Egon Zehnder believes we should be looking for the following 4 traits.
Curiosity
A penchant for seeking out new experiences, knowledge and candid feedback, and an openness to learning and change. Jack Welsh, the former CEO of General Electric, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, never stop asking questions.
Insight
The ability to gather and make sense of information that suggests new possibilities. ‘They separate the wheat from the chaff, the signal from the noise, connecting the dots and coming up with a creative vision.’
Engagement
A knack for using emotion and logic to communicate a persuasive vision and connect with people. ‘High potential people are extraordinary at engaging other people’s minds and hearts towards that compelling vision.’
Determination
The ability to fight for different goals despite challenges and to bounce back from adversity. ‘They are resilient people, they don’t crack under pressure.’
So, why are we facing such a fundamental change in the way we assess candidates. To put it quite simply it is the speed of change. The business cycle now changes faster than at any other point in history. Therefore, businesses are changing, roles are changing and markets are moving. All of this is happening at speed.
This now means that the ability to continually learn, adapt and change are must have skills for the effective leadership.
If you have any questions or would like to know more about improving your recruitment process then please contact me paul@paulgreening.com
