- October 30, 2009
- 250 Comments
How Do You Identify a Leader? Give Us Your Thoughts for a Chance to Win!
Calling all recruiters and hiring managers: you could be the lucky recipient of a brand new Kindle™!
The latest employment indicators show that companies will be slow to hire in Q4, even as their profit outlook improves. Part of the reason for this is economic uncertainty among employers; however, on the upside, it’s also a reaction to the fact that companies have found ways to do more with less, according to this Wall Street Journal article.
As employers seek to maintain momentum in the uncertain months ahead, they will need to rely on the next generation of leaders to drive their companies forward – whether in the form of new hires or current employees taking on new responsibilities.
As you help organizations seek out these leaders, what qualities should you look for in candidates and current employees? The Hiring Site wants to put together a comprehensive list of the top qualities recruiters and hiring managers should look for in identifying leaders, and we’re asking you to share your own tried-and-true practices.
Share your thoughts with us, and you could win a new Kindle™ Wireless Reading Device.
How to enter:
Simply answer this question – “What quality or characteristic do you look for – above all else – when looking for your organization’s next leader, and why?” – in the comments section below, and you’ll automatically be entered to win a brand new Kindle™.
Contest details:
Entries will be accepted from 12 a.m. CST on Monday, November 2, 2009 until 11:59 p.m. CST on Friday, November 6, 2009. Each account may only submit one answer for consideration; subsequent entries will not be considered. Spam responses will not be considered. The winner will be picked at random and notified via e-mail the week of November 11, 2009. Please read the full list of official contest rules and regulations.
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In this day and age, creativity and ingenuity are certainly stressed, as uncertain economic times and other variables increase the need for thinking outside the box and the ability to shake off old paradigms or ways of thinking in order to innovate, improve, and lead.
Smart, humble, creative and good leader! Why? All the Top CEO had these characteristics!
In addition to the standard things that we all look for, experience, leadership, etc. I also think that being adaptable, smart enough to ask for help,having a clear understanding of the mission statement, fair and with a sense of humor will certainly make me take notice!
A true leader is one who has not only mastered the task of being an “example” within their chosen field, but also lives up to the commitment of recreating other leaders!
I look for someone who can create a vision (or embrace the corporate vision) and support their team to fulfill this vision. While a leader needs to be able to delegate and pitch in as needed, I view an organization as an inverted pyramid in which the top levels of management are actually enabling those below them to work towards that vision.
Dynamic, positive attitude, business savy, able to select great teams and get them to work together, understands market and business trends, politically astute, assertive and would inspire confidence.
A future leader can be recognized early in their career by their ability to see the big picture and care about all the aspects of the business and not just focus on their tasks alone.
Culturally adaptable, emotionally intelligent, team-oriented, willingness to roll-up their sleeves, cognitive intelligence, long-term focused.
Someone who demonstrates both initiative and responsibility. As a leader you need to take the initiative and not wait for someone to give you directions. As a leader you are also responsible for the outcome and must be willing to take on that responsibility. To me, these are the initial signs of a leader, particularly when you are looking for future leaders within the organization.
A great leader is someone who values developing other people. Companies are only as good as the people who work for them. A true leader demonstrates they value and develop people and use that energy to accomplish the goals and vision of the organization.
I look for a balanced person, some one who can balance job knowledge and skills, help their staff grow and identify training needs, share and communicate the ideas that lead to the shared goal of the organization.
When I am looking for a leader, I want someone that can see the past, change from mistakes grow with successes, learn during the present and lead to a stronger future.
Integrity, drive and discipline are our top characteristics. Most of our positions have specific qualifications for them, so for someone to meet those qualifications first, and to be able to show a desire to do well, learn from mistakes, and do the right thing-that person would be a good fit for us.
Overall, the ability and competency to stretch beyond the position being hired. This not only ensures a strong bench, but forces an organization to consistently be on the lookout for those with an intense focus on driving results.
The qualities i look for first and foremost is a strong work ethic, With a strong work ethic comes a desire to make good of an oppertunity and succeed in any economic environment,hard work always makes for a successful recruit.
A leader is someone that has vision. Someone that sees what is possible, not what is expected. Someone that sees the good in staff and promotes it, not the faults and prays on them. Someone that sees leadership as an honor …. not just a responsibility.
Honesty above all else. In today’s climate, it is all too easy to become a dishonest person and to “cut corners” in ethics. In business and in life, honesty is to be prized.
A true leader takes appropriate initiative. By appropriate, I mean that the person has the communication skills, wisdom, and tact to know when, where, and how to take initiative. A leader is bold and insightful without being overly aggressive to the point of being cocky. To put this in musical terms, a true leader knows when to hold ‘em, knows when to fold ‘em. Knows when to walk away, and knows when to run.
work ethic, ability to accept feedback and make changes, ability to give constructive feedback, communication skills. As a leader you deal with people more than anything else. Your people skills must be excellent, we can teach the tech skills of the job.
Leaders don’t make plans; they don’t solve problems; they don’t even organize people. Leaders prepare organizations for change and help them cope as they struggle through it. Leaders have the innate ability to set direction, align people, and motivate to accomplish goals.
A leader exhibits the qualities of leading by example. Someone who has made a difference in the company and has helped groom employees for promotions. A leader is someone who mentors and will be involved in the day-to-day operations regardless of how small the task. It is not so much the technical skill set or the education as it is the people skills and the ability to lead a group to success. When recruiting, this can be measured by past job experiences and question relating to how did you handle this situtation in your past positions.
The most common trend that I am seeing with the slow economy is companies scooping up high level executives for a fraction of what they are worth. As a result you get people that are qualified to be good leaders but are being taken advantage of so their heart is not intheir work.
I think that in the current economy hiring managers should look for mid level managers that have handled their career with care. These people are smart strategists and will be willing to take a high level positions at a lower price because of their lack of experience. While they may be at a disadvantage initially, I think that these highly educated, smart, managers will suprise people with their obvious enthusiasm and need to prove themselves as capable executives to the companies that gave thema a chance.
I look for an individual with instincts and insights that are creative, practical, and actionable to lead the organization to sustainable growth.
A leader is someone who can step up with a positive attitude and think rationally and logically during a crisis, and not be “rattled” by the situation. Leaders rise to the top during hard times. Those who are not true leaders will falter and fail during these times.
We are measuring productivity and efficiency at many levels and creating leaders at many levels. We are comparing to history, goals and similar organizations. We are seeking integrity and commitment in our leaders.
We look for great communication skills, the ability to take a multi-faceted approach to problem-solving and creation of novel solutions to problems, great customer engagement skills, the ability to inspire trust and provide clear direction while attracting and deploying talent within the organization.
Humility. The manager who cannot or will not take responsibility for his/her mistakes is a liability, not a leader. A leader cannot be too proud or controlling to delegate or to ask for help. This kind of leader promotes others regardless of gender or age, and these promotions are based on the factors that make him/her successful. The best leaders understand the need for teamwork and facilitate it.
A good leader is someone who has a high level of personal integrity, is teachable, is excited by new ideas, and rather than feeling threatened by the success of other actually encourages that success.
A leader is someone who has the ability to be forward thinking and who enables and empowers employees to dream big and see the vision. A leader is also someone who can take the time to mentor others and at the same time creating a cohesive organization.
Leaders must have the ability to recognize personality strengths and weaknesses in their team members and innovate new possibilities. During an initial meeting/interview, I look for someone who can quickly grasp and regurgitate the concepts I describe and who seems to understand me. I want him/her to listen carefully, ask questions for clarity, and then expand on the vision I communicate. If he/she can immediately see potential and possibilities for my concepts, I will trust that he/she is innovative. If he can communicate them to me so that I understand them, I will trust that he/she will communicate effectively with my staff.
Risilience is a quality that is important in leaders during this economic downturn. The economy is constantly changing, and a leader needs to be able to anticipate and respond to these changes without fear. During the depression, FDR said, “The only thing to fear is fear itself”. It is important to find someone who will stand up to fear and push forward despite obstacles.
I look for initiative, how far will they go to get what they want. Leaders aren’t passive although they might seem that way, they can be sheep in wolves clothing. Look for that person that just keeps popping up. They are leaders.
A true leader will influence their team by consistently exceeding its companies standards, and never asking anything of your team that you wouldn’t do yourself.
I value the person who can really listen to what is being said. Too many people form their own opinion while a person is speaking to them. The real leader listens, seriously considers what the person is saying, and then replies or makes a decision based on the input of all concerned parties.
A good leader has the ability to create a great team around them and keep them motivated through creativity, a positive atmosphere, and encouragement. I also think keeping their team well informed, letting ideas flow and being able to jump in and help where needed is truly a great leader.
We look for demonstrations of good judgment, use of initiative, a positive “can do” attitude and willingness to be a team player. Right now we are operating as leanly as possible, so it’s important to hire people willing to pitch in and do whatever it takes to provide the best quality and service to our customers. Sometimes that means doing what was formerly more than one ‘job’. And we’ve found that the more duties an employee has successfully performed or mastered, the better they can supervise and lead others doing those jobs later. So in some ways, the economic downturn is allowing us to train stronger leaders for our future.
A leader must be constantly morfing in order to be effective in today’s business environment. If someone is not comfortable with that, they are not going to survive. However, the one most important quality for a leader to their team is to ALWAYS have their back — in good times and in bad!
Leadership can be measured by action, character, and the ability to mentor followers into future leaders. Train, educate and grow your replacemnt. Finally leadship is being able to make the hard, difficult and often unpopular decision.
A leader is someone with integrity who leads by example, inspires others, and possesses significant knowledge in his or her functional area(s). A leader is also a strategic thinker who embraces change and welcomes innovative thinking. Lastly, a true leader realizes that his or her employees are the most valuable resource and surrounds himself/herself with high quality employees.
A leader is someone who is passionate about the mission and who inspires the team to rise to a level of achievement they did not know or believe to be possible.
I define a leader as someone who can strategically and tactifully inspire people to go well beyond what they think that they can’t do. Also embodied in a good leader is someone who leds from the “front”, not asking their direct reports to do something that they are not willing to do themselves. The true leader will allow themselves to diminish while letting their people flourish; in other words they check their respective egos at the door. They are competent, full of candor, consistent and have a bountiful sense of humor.
While there are many competencies associated with great leadership, integrity is a core value that aligns daily actions, vision and organizational goals.
One who has a proven record of helping others achieve their full potential. One who doesnt need to be in the spot light; but shines brightly thru the success of others. A product of bringing the goals of the company and people together to ensure customer expectations are met.
Maya Angelou once said, “People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But they will never forget how you made them feel.” I think this is a great template for a leader. There are all sorts of quantitative measures for leaders — productivity, communication, attitudes, etc. but I think a leader is one who nurtures and encourages and inspires an employee to not only do what he/she is supposed to do but to feel better about themselves as a person and feel better about themselves as an employee.
Today’s leaders are defined by their ability to change and the way that they take their teams through the latest adaptations needed to stay ahead of the economy and the competition.
Leaders in our firm tend to think outside of the box. They are always looking toward the goal and making suggestions on how we can more efficiently and effectively accomplish these goals as a team. They also demonstrate great competency and accountability and have excellent interpersonal, communication, and motivation skills.
In today’s trying times, a candidate should be reliable, flexible, hard working. The ability to think out of the box. In addition, possessing interpersonal skills would be an added feature and be able to accept and drive changes within the company.
True leaders who can be easily folded into an organization are those who are stable and can weather the storms of unstable times. They must have a proven history of success in a role that includes tasks and results similar to the demands of the job which they can articulate without being prompted. Since no two jobs or organizations are the same, they should also bring a new perspective and new ideas to the table while being humble enough to adhere to the new organizations standards. I would boil it down to history, prior success, and attitude. No leader can influence an organization positively with a bad attitude. –MW
I think that above all else, I look for a sense of commitment to the mission of our organization. A leader who can show by example that he/she is willing to stretch themselves to rise to any challenge that may come our way.
A leader is someone who understands they are not an island and that their team is an invaluable resource. They collaborate and partner before making big decision and are open to the feedback they receive after those decisions have been made. Better yet they seek the feedback before any one has to ask. They are charismatic and know how to motivate and inspire their team members.
I’m looking for that special person that can relate and understand multiple generations as employees as well as customer base. They must have heart, with a humble and servant style leadership, and the ability to select and surround themselves with passionate, driven people at all levels. Ability to make decisions and communcate vision in a way that gets employees excited!
Must be Proactive, not reactive
The foremost characteristics I look for are; consistency, organization and mentoring tendencies plus a track record of success and forward progress in their own careers. The success and track record may be small steps but they should always be upward, onward with clear purpose. Find someone with these qualities and you’ll find your next great leader.
A leader is someone who can wear many hats: teacher, councilor, guide, doer, thinker, communicator and organizer. They do all this with creativity, flexibility and finesse.
Simply put, I don’t identify leaders – they identify themselves. You either are naturally and inherently a leader, or you’re not. It’s my job only to acknowledge that I “see” them. A leader is that person who always does the right thing – sometimes even when they are the only person doing it. They have made a commitment to themselves, to the organization and to others – to help them become future leaders. A true exporter of talent.
Leaders possess 3 key traits: Vision – by definition, they need the ability to extrapolate and sense the best direction for the organization; Initiative – they don’t wait for impetus, they provide it: Communications – they can explain, transfer and inspire. They gather the volentary cooperation of the Team. True leaders are rare indeed, and the tricky part is, it takes one, to know one.
When looking for leadership candidates, I look for someone who is inspiring to speak with. I look for someone who has obviously led initiatives but gives credit to the team. This is the kind of leader that will engage people to grow and develop. I look for people who are willing and able to give their knowledge away and ask that people learn more.
Someone who has a vision to propel a company, their team and themselves forward, but is able to articulate it a way that is meaningful to the masses. It’s someone who truly believes in developing their people, in making them want to do more – think outside the box, etc. A true leader does all of this with a style that makes employees want to work for, and stay working for them – even follow them to their next company. Sounds easy, but it’s hard to find.
Personally, I think it’s a combanation of several things put together. They need to be creative, adapt to change, honest, outgoing personality, interacts well with people, a good sense of humor, know’s they’re job and a good listener.
We look for leaders who SERVE.
See the future
Engage and develop others
Reinvent continuously
Value results and relationships
Embody strong ethical values
I think that natually they need the skill set and passion to drive the TEAM toward the goals, but they must also have a hospitality heart to show the customer that they care about them.
I think the top three things we look for in a good leader are:
1. Adaptability – change is the only constant right now and leaders have to know how to lead through it and embrace it.
2. Compassion – a good leader earns the respect of their people and has his/her associates following them with commitment not out of compliance.
3. Trust – Ethical behavior, upholding the values of the organization – what is more important?
The leader stands out, as they are able to think outside the box and accomplish the project creatively and in a minimal amount of time.
The leadership qualities are not forced, rather they are natural, and apparent in the ideas offered to develop a project.
The leader is able to motivate the team with the example they set: strong work ethic, assistance when necessary, but also the ability to step back and allow other team members to work to their potential.
As the leader, they bring the project to fruition, but are not intimidated by the ideas of other team members when it is in the best interest of the project, and acheiving the goal.
In today’s climate you need a leader to have several different qualities. They need to be successful, but doesn’t measure themselves by their last project. They need to be creative, but not someone that will come in and turn the company on it’s head in their first 90 days. Finally, they have to be a people person. They have to be able to encourage, inspire, and be available even through the tough times.
A leader first has to be a good FOLLOWER and have those traits OF A GOOD FOLLOWER; The main being VISION, next the ability to INFLUENCE and REACT to CHANGE, quickly and in a DECISIVE fashion with the ability to also forecast that VISION and REASONING for change to those on their team in a way that also PROMOTES ESPRIT DE CORP to those within their team. They must know how to LISTEN to their team and Understand, EVERYONE WINS TOGETHER AND ALSO EVERYONE LOSES TOGETHER. Not just one. Yes they may be the captain but without the crew the ship can never leave port.
They must balance between what is needed for the company and what is needed for their people.
HONOR, INTEGRITY, HONESTY, CHARACTER AND JUST PLAIN “DOING THE RIGHT THING” ALWAYS WITHOUT ANY PERSONAL INTEREST
An individual, after qualifying for the job, must have the ability to play well with others. Any conflicts or bad attitude from or towards the individual will always get in the way of the work being completed at its optimum.
When looking for our company’s next leader, we are looking for someone with an excellent work ethic, and one who can “lead by example”, who always is a part of the solution – is consistently finding was to solve problems and push towards improvement in our business operations.
Why? A leader must always set the example and be the one others in the workplace can look towards. This leader sets the tone in the workplace that your employees will follow. In trying to find a leader who will always strive to find solutions and ensure consistent improvement, we can also know that this will most likely be a positive, driven, hard-working individual who will try better each day for the sake of the organization.
A leader is one who little-uses the “I” and “me” pronouns and embraces the “we” and “us” pronouns. A leader quietly assumes the risk and responsibility while attending to their most important role in this world…training their replacement.
A leader is “a person who influences a group of people towards the achievement of a goal”. We look for leaders who can handle followers and be able to delegate tasks and responsibilites effectively that will empower their team members.
“What quality or characteristic do you look for – above all else – when looking for your organization’s next leader, and why?”
Someone who CARES. You can train individuals to learn skills & processes, motivate them to perform, but you cannot make them truly care. A candidate who shows that the may be a leader who truly cares about the company, improving, and their people is a great indicator of how committed they’ll be to your organization’s success. Employees don’t rally around people who simply use them as a means to an end. They rally around people who care about them and try to improve their opportunities. They set people up to succeed. They work until the job is done, not when they can leave. If they give you a sense that they CARE, then you’re well on your way.
The best leaders are those who are passionate about their work, what they represent and their ability to spread that passion by leading and motivating others in the organization to increase productivity. Passionate leaders are effective communicators, are very adaptable to remaining current in their field and are innovative. They have a vision and take the initiative to see that vision become reality.
A good leader is one that allows their employees to grow, a person that encourages their employees to succeed and gives them the opportunity to do so. A leader must be supportive, objective, fair and an excellent communicator. This way they will have dedicated employees that want to come to work each day and want to do a good job because they trust and respect their manager.
A true leader knows they don’t and can’t know everything. They surround themselves with a good team. They share the successes as well the failures with thier team. They develop their team and give them feedback often.
The qualities I look for in a leader are much different than they used to be. Today’s leaders must be able to think outside the box and be very creative with the resources they have at hand. They need to be able to have compassion for the staff without compromising their role as a leader. By showing this compassion to the staff, the staff will show the same comapssion to the guests. Leaders of today must also realize the big differences in age groups (boomers, gen X, gen y etc) and deal with them differently in order to bring out the best in the staff.
When looking for a leader, especially hiring someone to be a manager or start up the management ladder, I think you need someone 1. Smart 2. Energetic 3. Positive.
If the person isn’t bright enough to learn, process, and juggle multiple tasks, they will have a definite limit to how well he or she can perform.
If a leader does not have energy and a positive outlook, they will not be able to inspire others to also excel. The futher a leader progresses, the more he or she has to find motiviation and performance from within, rather than from direction from superiors.
Honesty is the main trait I truly like to see in a leader because I’ve learned through the years that honesty fosters loyalty. Leaders who are candid also tend to be courageous and willing to take the risks that are required in order to be successful in today’s competitive business environment.
John Maxwell says that to be a leader you must have followers. I would talk to his or her followers to determine how and what the candidate has poured into their lives and also examine demonstrated and tangible results of his/her leadership. Past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. Lots of people talk a good game, I want to find people who have actually played one.
Humility: We continue to find that the most effective leaders are the ones who realize and accept that they cannot have all the answers, cannot do all the work, and will rise with the overall success of their teams. The challenge is often to find leaders with less management experience who have attained this level of self-confidence.
In my opinion a strong leader is one who can lead from the front and manage the situation. He/She should surround themselves with the best team and in some or most cases, people who are smarter and know more than the leader or CEO, about a certain business functions.
A strong leader needs to have a very clear vision on where the company should be headed and collaborate on the strategy on how to get there.
The key here is for the leader to lead by providing direction and not actually doing the tactical work.
Strategic foresight
Strong leaders should have many of the typical qualities such as integrity, character, influence and the ability to impact change combined with exceptional communication skills. However, the BEST leaders recognize that talent management and people decisions control the organization. They will show personal committment and engagement in creating and maintaining a positive workplace with productive employees. Without focusing effectively on human capital management, a leader will not be able to continue to shape and maintain their organization’s mission.
Our company looks for Core characteristics such as
*Empathy
*Integrity
*Ability to lead by example and accept feedback from peers and direct reports
*Ability to design and execute strategic plans
One area of leadership is commitment and passion. The ability to understand the culture they work in, select the right people for the best roles, support and encourage them to get the job done, and than praise/celebrate regularly. Leadership is also about understanding that to achieve greatness you need a group of people all driving towards the same goal, with the same level of passion as them. The leader stays focused and committed to the development of their people and knows by doing so they will get to the end goal.
A leader is someone who started from the bottom level of the company and worked their way up to the top through hard work and high ethics. Someone who is not afraid to get their hands dirty and can have a constructive conversation with the janitor and the president.
A true leader is somebody who is ready to listen and truly hear the feedback and utilize this to gain commitment and motivation for the shared goal of the organization. Somebody who can mobilize and trasform through gaining trust. Furthermore, somebody who is ready to groom the future leaders through unleashing their potential and allowing their true engagement.
A true leader is an individual who is willing and has shown in the past that they can see outside the box. This quality shows that they can be creative, innovative and go getters.
I start looking for our next leader at the very beginning of the hiring process. I look for initiative. A well-prepared candidate comes in with questions to ask ME about our company as well as having taken the initiative to research our company. Along with their body language and interview answers, their follow up to the interview tells me how professional they are.
I look for someone with a strong work ethic. In the current economy, we need to get more work out of fewer employees. So they must be someone who looks for easier, more efficient ways to get the work done and know how to focus on the task at hand.
Most natural leaders don’t aspire to be great leaders; they aspire to be great persons. Personal qualifications lead to leadership qualifications. When leaders lead their own lives well others want to follow.In a leader their are crucial elements that need to be noticed, such as:
Character – enables them to do what is right even when it is difficult.
Perspective – enables them to understand must happen to reach a goal.
Courage – enables them to initiate and take risks to step out toward worthy goal.
Favor – enables them attract and empower others to join us in the cause.
Leaders are meant to help others become the people God created them to be.
Good leaders understand that employee’s want to know the expectations for their job and performance. Communicating these expectations in an open dialogue and showing an understanding of employee’s needs will engender trust and promote a positive attitude. It is then imperative that the boss demonstrates faith in the employee’s ability to get the work done.
Body language – since the majority of communication is nonverbal, a leader must communicate sincerely and consistently through all channels of physical expression.
A good leader must be honest, confident, and willing to take risks. Employees need somebody they can trust. They need sombeody that they feel comfortable going to. These traits are important in gaining the respect of their employees.
The mark of a great leader is someone surrounded by eagles and who encourages them to soar. To do this, the leader must be someone that others want to follow, due to their knowledge, actions, and character.
I look for the ability to recognize, develop and put to use subordinates’ desirable skills and qualities. A leader must bring out the best in, and support each person in his/her group for the team to reach maximum potential. When team members are supported, challenged, and doing what they love, the result is a happy, creative and productive team.
The best leaders are always those who can communicate effectively with everyone. The best leaders of tomorrow will be able to speak across generations as well as across oceans and continents.
Someone who can give solid examples of not only successful projects they have undertaken, but ones that have not worked as well, and how they overcame the obstacles. The person has to be able to take responsibility for their shortfalls and those of their team, not gloss everything over.
A leader must not only demonstrate critical thinking, but be able to line their thinking with the organizations goals and aspirations. In other words, in a leader, I look for a strategic thinker and planner.
Leaders have integrity and make business decisions founded on solid principles. They take responsibility for their mistakes and hold others accountable. Leaders are driven and passionate. Leaders push you to learn new things and challenge you to be exceptional. Leaders inspire. Leaders look towards the future without forgetting today and share their vision with others.
A leader has a demonstrated ability to listen to the noise and formulate a strategy that will chart a path from where we are to where we need to be. They move forward and before long, others are swept up in their wake and follow behind. It takes personal characteristics to become that person, but I look for evidence (no matter how small) that s/he’s done that in the past, but that’s what I look for in identifying a leader.
I look for a credible and passionate communicator — someone who fosters open dialogue and promotes a free flow of information and communication throughout the organization.
A leader who has the emotional intelligence to match their intellect and skills is a rare and valuable find.
What I am looking for in the leaders of tomorrow are people who can clearly define their vision of the future (and that of the organization), and then communicate that vision with passion. There seems to be too much hesitation due to fear and that is destroying the confidence our partners below us need to have in their leaders. Add to it innovataive thinking and you have a leader I would be proud to work side by side with.
Problem solving and trouble shooting skills, which we have assessments to quantify, and a drive for self-development. Continuous improvement and an ability to “own” their job while being a team player are very important attributes for our company. These qualities allow a person to take ownership of their job functions and be able to adjust and change as the company does.
I am looking for a leader that wants to serve others in the organization…sees the big picture and has a vision, knows the business, and sees the best in people.
Succession planning is a critical component for an organization to sustain and grow their business. When identifying a good leader, qualities to look for are individuals who possess a high level of adaptability, innovation, work ethics and strong communication skills.
Leaders need to know where they are going; they need a vision and objectives. Such vision comes from being imaginative, intelligent, somewhat organized, habitually scientific, and broadly informed.
But equally, leaders have to be able to communicate their vision in a timely way and they have to motivate and enthuse folks. Surely they have to be able to apply psychology, bothe to individuals and groups. Associated with this is a need to maintain a reputation for effectiveness and approachability.
They need a sense of timing, a sense of when to expect what results. Leaders must, expecially, be able to faithfully execute plans with longer time horizons.
Lastly, they need to audit results to see if things are going according to plan, being flexible enough to tweak their processes and campaigns as circumstances dictate.
To find such people you have to tailor your queries to capture the individual’s thinking and experience.
When hiring future leaders I look for someone who is bright, motivated and has exceptional emotional intelligence. This allows them to understand what their employees are feeling and communicate their vision in such a way that everyone works towards a common goal. Having the ability to drive results through the actions of others is the key to great leadership.
A true leader must lead by example – they can’t delegate all of their responsibilities to others and expect respect. They must show they are humble in the interview and be willing to help others to reach a united goal.
Dedication to the job and demonstration of positive guidance capabilities. We look for a person who will go above and beyond the expectations without prompting. A leader stands out when they offer suggestions, areas for improvement, and is seen as a motivator among their peers.
Is he or she on time, every time? Being on time is where leadership begins, to me. A leader who understands (and takes seriously) the value of her time understands Integrity, Leading by Example, and Honoring one’s word as if it is law.
The leader that calls an 8:00 meeting and is present and starts the meeting at 8:00 (not 8:01 or 8:07) commands the best in herself, demonstrates respect for the time and value of others, and sets the standard of expectation for the people she leads.
To me, Leadership is most easily identified in simple ways, like how a leader values her time-of-life.
The two major qualities that I look for in a leader are to lead by example and communication. Leaders cannot expect anything from their team that they do not live by. A leader should not only know how to communicate but teach others how to as well. Every team I have been in that succeeded had a leader that had these two qualities.
When I look for a leader, I am looking for many things:
1. initiative
2. gathers facts from many individuals/sources (isn’t afraid that they don’t have the correct answer on their own), then makes decisions based on those cumulative facts.
3. Plans for the future, looking at new ideas and new technology.
4. Good communicator.
There are three critical competencies or “characteristics” that I look for when assessing a candidate for a leadership role.
Developing People – The ability to continually foster the development of others for current and future growth; the ability to build organizational talent. – Excellent leaders focus on the personal and professional growth of their employees (at all levels). They intrinsically know that having competent and engaged staff is the cornerstone to any organizations success.
Setting Direction – Establishes and communicates a compelling and inspired vision and sense of core purpose; creates competitive strategies and plans that are in alignment with the company’s objectives. – The best built ship with all the right people aboard will go nowhere fast if the captian can’t establish and communicate the direction they want/need to go.
Adaptable – The ability to effectively respond to uncertainty and changing priorities. – Able leaders respond rather than react to uncertain times. Additionally they are not easily shaken by setbacks. They find unique solution to unfamiliar problems and they look at challenges as an opportunity to learn and grow.
In my humble opinion these three characteristics are lead indicators to the potential success of any leader.
Under pressure, human beings have a tendancy to fall-back on their natural make-up. So, the following Leadership characteristics need to be second nature for an individual.
- Pulls rather than pushes
- Proactive rather than Reactive
- Nurtures change rather than maintain
the Status Quo
- Defines their job rather than letting
the job define them
- Global view vs narrow focus
- How they can vs why they can’t
- Seller vs Teller
- Gets people involved rather than
working in a vacuum
- Accountable vs being a victim
The list is pretty much endless, but anyone exhibiting a majority of these characteristics is on the road to bigger and better things; in both their business and, maybe even more important, their personal life.
A leader is someone who perserveres… I recently saw a great quote from Michael Jordan: “I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game’s winning shot… and missed. I have failed over and over again in my life. And that’s why I succeed.” Being a leader isn’t about being perfect. It’s about learning from your mistakes as you, above all, continue to press forward.
I look for people who display an attitude of ownership. This attitude is recognized by their willingness to provide any effort to get the job done, their interests in long term responsibilities without reference to compensation and a consciousness to place people first.
When looking for leadership traits I look, first of all, for someone who cares. If someone truly cares about what they are doing every day, they will take responsibility for not only what they do but for how that affects the group as a whole. A true natural leader is not sitting in an ivory tower. They are in the trenches “feeling the pain” with those whom they are leading. They see their position as one of service and support and those that they lead see them as a role model and aspire to be like them. So, in recruiting, even for positions that are considered entry level, I look specifically for indicators of care and commitment. After all, the best leaders are the ones you develop internally!
Potential leaders stand out (just as our current leaders do) by the fact that they are usually the “go to” person for others. Managers who are truly leaders, lead by example and when extra needs to be done to meet goals and deadlines they are part of the team that ensures things get done. They never expect more of others than they are willing to give themselves. Invariably, leaders also have a great sense of humor and never take themselves too seriously. They inspire others by example. They are honest and straight-forward and have a clear vision of where the organization is headed. Last, but not least, they are exceptional listeners – the best solutions come when they are willing to hear others ideas and suggestions.
As a non-profit, it is important that we look for a good fit for the organization, and will often consider this piece more than education and experience. It is also extremely important that a candidate be in alignment with our mission and values.
Far and away the number one attribute I look for in a leader is the willingness to accept responsibility, and the ability to make a decision. Nothing stands out more than a candidate who is willing to step up to the task at hand and make the tough calls (timely decisions), not always right, but always well thought out, with the best information available within the deadline imposed.
Great leadership can be cultivated but it is imparative to start with the right raw material in making the hiring selection. We look for the following characteritics that you cannot teach someone: Drive – They either have it or they don’t. Above average intelligence – In order to lead the rest, you have to be the best. But above them all is an even keel personality – someone who works well with others and can develop long term working relationships and trust while holding people accountable for their performance.
We look for natural leaders who have proven to take initiative as well as be creative and think outside the box. They do this while always keeping in mind the vision of the company. Along with these qualities also comes motivation and passion in what they do.
A leader must be able to provide vision, perseverance, confidence, clarity, transparency, hope and stability.
Above all else, I look for courage. Many people have knowledge and skills but those with the courage to implement their ideas are leaders.
Open-Minded Curiosity
-to learn about others, what motivates them, and how to best interact with them
-to learn about themselves and how to grow with those around them
-to learn about a business and its needs, how to grow it and change with it
A successful organization has successful people. Successful people are those who can effectively interact with anyone that is a part of the organization: employees, customers, vendors, etc. The open-mindedness allows a person to take all the information in, from all angles, and the creativity allows them to re-distribute it appropriately for a best fit. Someone who is willing to listen to others and objectively assess a situation allows leadership to occur.
I look for a manager with outcome-focused communication skills that builds trust amongst their staff, shares their knowledge and seeks feedback from associates. This allows a good manager to connect with their staff and helps create an understanding, support and acceptance critical to an organization’s success.
I look for people that exhibit leadership behavior. This would include an individual that has a proven track record that may identify a problem but has a solution. I also look for people that not only commuicate an idea but can deliver.
The finally thing that I look for in a leader is some one that can take the lead and delegate. But, know when to get additional resources that are subject matter experts in a certain field.
A leader knows when to say, “I need your skills…now deliver”. He or she does not have favors but champions.
I like to look for people who not only want this job, but are still looking forward to the next one. Those who want continued advancement are more motivated.
A leader must be able to communicate effectively. A person may possess many other leadership qualities but without effective communication skills they can never be a successful leader.
A true leader is a person who is not swayed by any specific person or agenda, but takes into consideration a much broader organizational perspective to determine the direction the business needs to go. They are typically secure and confident, but not egotistical or cocky. They listen to others, include their staff, respect and value them, trust them, commission them to get the end result without micromanaging along the way and they offer support whenever needed. They mentor and coach, lead by example, help people to see the bigger picture and are fair, honest, ethical and positive. They are in touch with the realities of the organization. They aren’t afraid of challenges, believe they can overcome and make things happen and believe in their “troops.” They recognize the input and contribution of others. Their communication is open, honest and they are assessable. They know mistakes are going to happen and they don’t destroy or devalue people who make them, though they will deal with disciplinary issues when and as needed. They have backbone, balance in life and personality, are focused and demonstrate a high level of professionalism. When they make a mistake, they admit it. They show others the way and they do it with a high degree of integrity, wisdom and vision.
I’ve been fortunate enough to work for two people who fit this description and I’m thankful for their influence in my life. They are now both friends I treasure. They showed me what a true leader is by being one.
You ask for the one thing above all else, and what we look for in a leader is history of a consistant behavior. We want people who are the same day in and day out. That have positive regimens and habits that they stick to closely. These patterns are key, because if they themselves have positive routines, they will adopt our routines. If they don’t then they may wander through their career without a direction and not ever understand why they aren’t being successful. These consistant behaviors are more than just getting up at the same time each day. They must have strong work ethic, activities that require them to keep their head in the game, strong commitments to fulfill, financial needs, etc. this will show you the true behavior of a person or leader. That is what we above all else look for in a leader.
A good leader is someone who is creative, adaptable and results-driven. Good leaders also interact effectively and respectfully with all levels of co-workers, accept new challengers, and know when to delegate responsibility to those that are more qualified.
A strength for understanding the whole package or big picture to whatever the importance is in that position at that time. Job descriptions and positioons evolve all of the time and re-invention of an employee is important.
A good leader is passionate about his/her work. Leaders are often asked to be motivators and enthusiastic. Without passion for their work, it is difficult to motivate others to do the same. A good leader will lead by example and be willing to do the dirty work. He/she is confident about his own abilities. In order to lead a group, the leader needs to show he or she is confident and able to set directions. He/she instills confidence in others which in turns excels them to do the best for the team.
He/she is someone who can be trusted to lead others. They have good character and is honest with integrity. They lead by example and earns the right to be a leader. He/she should be able to put across what needs to be done and how. At the same time, he/she should be willing to accept relevant suggestions from his/her subordinates. He/she should have the ability to listen, question, analyze and observe effectively.
The most important quality or skill that a leader needs to have is emotional intelligence. They can have all the other qualities of leadership – integrity, humility, passion, honesty, etc., but without having the ability to read situations and people correctly they will eventually fail. If a leader doesn’t have a high emotional intelligence quotient – then if they are successful – they have hired someone to fill that role and is always at their side.
When I look for my future leaders, I start with their integrity and ability to earn the trust and respect of their coworkers and customers. They need to have good communication skills, show initiative, and take responsibility. I like to see teamwork and the ability to coach and mentor. My favorite leadership quote is from General Eisenhower. “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do what you want done because they want to do it.”
A good leader must have a strong sense of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) in addition to IQ and the ability to adapt to changing needs of the business. Another important characteristic is strong communication. I once heard someone say that a leader “paints a picture of the company — with you in it.” What better way to inspire a workforce than to communicate your vision of the future and show them how they fit?
A good leader posses insight, dedication, drive, passion, accountability, listening skills, the ability to see the big picture, the desire to embrace change, the courage to take risk, the wisdom to develop others.
We look for passion and drive, a desire to be a part of something and to create something great.
Leaders are servants by nature. They put others first, accept direction, ask questions and show initiative. This type of leadership encourages collaboration, trust, foresight, listening and empowerment.
I identify a good leader as someone who has seen around corners and can anticipate problems. A leader isn’t afraid to be surrounded by smarter people, and must have excellent diplomatic skills.
Above all else – I look to a leader who is able to inspire followers. I am not talking about someone who enjoys a group of “yes men” but one who inspires followers through peer respect, good listening, trustworthiness, willingness to take on responsibility, loves a challenge & the fulfillment of completion, has a spirit of “we can do this better”, is a problem solver, not just a critic, asks questions and accepts feedback, and can “hold court” and people LIKE to listen. This is the quality/characteristic that says it all!
We look for passion for the work, passion for those they work with, drive to succeed, creativity to think of all possibilities or foster that in the team.
If I had one quality or characteristic to choose, and all things were equal on the other stuff like smarts, integrity, drive, creativity, etc. Give me humility. Someone who is not so ego driven that they surround themself with smart driven people will win.
I look for 2 things:
1. Do others tend to follow them even though they may not be in a formal leadership position?
2. Charisma.
I look for a person that has the ability to remain positive during stressful times and encourage their team to do the same.
Leading a multi generational and a diverse workforce can be a challenge. Self awareness and the ability to adapt your own style and communication to that of your audience is imperative to achieve successful leadership. A great leader understands the unique needs of different groups and provides creative solutions, in balance.
Vision. Everything else follows vision. A true leader is able to assess the as-is and to-be landscapes, declare a bold vision, and lead (not manage) the company fearlessly towards that vision.
The ability to communicate well is one of the most vital abilities in a leader. In this day and age, communication can make or break companies…so for me that ability is the most vital.
A good leader must be smart, must be kind, know when to delegate, will take responsibility, and are not afraid to hire people who are as good or better than they are.
Leaders should have the ability to see beyond the moment, to anticipate upcoming trends and to develop solutions to the most current problems. They have drive, energy and passion for their work. They project a positive attitude. They aren’t satisfied with the status quo and are always observing and questioning. They can see the big picture and not get bogged down in the details. On a personal side, I think good leaders have the ability to be empathetic to those working with/for them, understanding that decisions are not always black and white. There needs to be flexibility within the policies/procedures they implement.
When I look for a leader, I’m looking for proven results. I don’t want our leader to be a warm body. They need to possess the unique ability to inspire others to greatness. They have to be committed to making things happen because it takes dedication and focus to get results. I don’t want my leader to be out of steam, burned out and coasting before he even settles into his office.
Simply put, an innovator with unparalleled ethical integrity abd ability to grow a diverse and continuously challenged team.
Persistence. Talent will only get you so far. Persistence is key to any good business mind.
A great leader is someone whom others seek to follow. What does that look like?
The leader will ooze uncomprimising integrity. Those around him are proud to be associated with him. He understands the value of surrounding himself with quality people and then investing significantly in their growth and success. He doesn’t take lightly the awesome responsibility of guiding human lives. He believes in the mission of the company and its ability to make it happen through the resources that are available. He is able to listen well, even when the ideas are contrary to his own and he is able to make final decisions and own them—good or bad, regardless of the results. He leads by example. He sets the tone for the culture of the company. He will take the first step when others are reluctant or afraid.
I look for someone who is strong, confident, can easily adapt to change and can understand many different personalities. This candidate would be able to provide direction and support without micro-managing and would allow their employees to make their own mistakes in an effort to increase their ability to become leaders themselves some day. They would also be able to command respect by demonstrating their ability to provide respect.
A true leader is a mentor. Anyone can “manage” people and processes but it takes someone with the ability to grow talent, push people out of their comfort zones, know when to challenge them more, be willing to allow them to make mistakes. A true leader always has one or two people under them that they are grooming to take over for them should they go away or get a promotion.
Someone willing to share ideas regardless of how others may view them. Also someone willing to do EVERYTHING they are asking their subordinates to do. If you cannot do their job to some extent how can you instruct them on what to do.
A leader should have integrity and open communication so as to gain the respect needed to lead. They need to be smart and surround themselves with people who are even smarter. People who have the strengths and ability to forge new opportunities. They need to set the vision and have the passion to pursue that vision.
Innovation, energy, empathy and the ability to motivate in both good times and bad are the traits I seek most in a leader.
Great leaders must have the ability to listen and entertain all ideas presented to them, the knowledge to filter and determine the right course to take, and the talent to inspire their organization to embrace and execute the chosen directive.
Without going into great detail about character assesment. First they have to recognize whats the difference between leadership and management. Here’s a couple basics I look for. They recognize that leadership is an Art and management is a science. Second they understand that you lead people and manage resources. People are a unique resource that require unique care and feeding to achieve their potential! and I mean that in a non-literal sense.
Spontaneity, Flexibility, Charismatic, Influential, Persuasive, Past Performance, Proven Skills, Confidence, Diverse, Creative, Problem Solving Methods, Out of the Box Thinking, Motivational, Productive,Performing, Objective, and the Ability to Promote Synergy.
These traits are characteristics of a leader that can not only move companies into the future ushering in our new economic opportunities, but creating and writing these new rules as we go along with the patience and temperament needed to do so carefully with Due Diligence. These individuals will have the ability to make our businesses cohesive across generations to forge one generation equipped with the innovative tools to withstand this economic crisis with the confidence and ability to transform it to a economic excess.
A leader of people today should have personal ethics that are as important and practiced as their work ethics.
A leader is a person who understands his surroundings, people, and knows the mission of the community within the organization. Making sure the organization is feeling good, of what they are doing and feeling they are the owners of the tasks at hand. This creates a leader who understands and allows those he/she leads take charge of creating a better outcome for the product/company! In the end producing a successful company that understands it’s employees, and it’s clients!
A leader is someone who knows and understands an organization’s mission, and empowers others to achieve it. Too often a mission statement is simply a clever statement created by the company’s marketing department and included on material distributed to customers. If there is no clear mission, a leader creates one, even if it is just for their branch or department. A leader, like a successful athletic coach, gets to know the people under them to know what motivates them individually. He or she always shares credit with those who help them create success. And, a true leader never leaves these values at the office.
Energy, a true salesperson will exude energy. People with experience, gift of gabb, talent, knowledge, personality, and all of the other adjectives you can come up with, will not compete with the one with energy!
“What quality or characteristic do you look for – above all else – when looking for your organization’s next leader, and why?”
Above all else, integrity is the most important characteristic of a leader. A person who has been placed in charge of an organization, asked to develop people and given the ability to lead, instruct, inform and inspire others must have strong core values. The greatest of those values is their integrity. The absence of this characteristic is detrimental to the integrity of the organization and all those associated or affected by it.
A lack of integrity cannot be overcome by money, personality, vision, communication skills or ability. When you look at the majority of the problems we face today in this economic downturn, they all stem from a lack of integrity from leaders in the financial sector, leaders in politics and leaders on a local level in communities.
People in leadership positions who lack integrity are unable to make decisions that require it and ultimately everyone pays the price for this in business and in our world.
What quality or leadership skills do I look for? Someone who possesses a passion and commitment for what they do and are willing to continuously learn and seek ways to build upon the area of expertise. A person needs to have integrity as well, because at the end of the day, that is all one has to stand firm.
Leadership is a journey not a destination. Passion, drive and determination will set a leader apart from the rest. A leader is someone you want to follow, not someone that gives you no choice but to follow. Combine
common sense, intelligence and the ability to dream and not only do you have a leader, you have a unique human being.
In the words of Henry Kissinger….”The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are…” “…to where they have not been”.
God bless America. I love this country because we are “free”. Lead on!!!
The best leaders understand the roles played by each of the people working for them – and that understanding comes only by rolling up the sleeves and getting the hands dirty. A leader needs to know what it is s/he is asking for!
A leader must see the big picture, not only the company’s big picture, but the environment the company functions in and the world as a whole. A leader must be humble in order to learn more, inspire confidence, inspire a strong work ethic in others, be creative, be able to change when needed without being told to do so, and take responsibility for results. A person cannot be a successful leader without FEELING responsible for the results of their actions.
A leader is felt not seen. When you meet a person that you would entrust with your present and your future, who knows when to push you when you’re wheels are spinning and when to carry you when you’re out of steam. Espousing the virtues of the destination, a leader doesn’t get mired in the process but appreciates the high value of both. Almost shunning recognition, a leader humbles him/herself while harboring an obsessively compelled need for group success.
Integrity is the most important attribute. Leaders must have vision, passion, commitment, charisma, great communications skills, and on through the list. But without being true to their principles (even when they think nobody is watching) they send the wrong message and lose their follower’s trust. Today’s followers are smart, perceptive and value-oriented and they “listen” much more closely to what their leaders do than what they say (the same is unfortunately true of children and their parents).
Great leaders must be able to make decisions, convince others of direction and purpose, delegate, offer guidance, mentor future leaders, and finally take responsibility for themselves and their organization.
At our company a leader is one who is willing to do another’s tasks in a pinch, even if it is “not their job”. We all have to work with less these days, and people willing to pitch in where necessary set a positive example to others both above and below them in the organization.
A good leader can be identified by talking to his or her followers. A leader will have dedicated and enthusiastic people who want to follow, and know how to follow because their expectations are clear, they have tasted the sweetness of their successes, and they have been encouraged to learn from their mistakes.
Leaders have to show a core ability to:
1.) Have a core set of values that represents and supports the mission of the group / organization / team they are leading.
2.) The ability to generate and maintain energy to achieve, through team work and having people believe and follow what is the values and goals of the group / organization / team. Leaders must have engaged followers or all you lead is a party of one.
3.) The ability to adapt and achieve the missions, goals and commitments of the team, while not comprimising on the core values and holding ones self as accountable if not more accountable than any member of the team that follows you.
4.) Vision, insight, wisdom, intelligence and all the other stuff means nothing as a leader if you cannot do the first three things or again great concepts with no one following, leading the party of one.
“What quality or characteristic do you look for – above all else – when looking for your organization’s next leader, and why?”
I look for someone who has potential. If it is a person’s first “real” job then I want someone who might have been a leader of some sort in high school or college. If they have some job experience, then I want to see progression or a promotion. The real key is listening during the interview. If someone speaks with passion and talks about the success of a team or a project; then they “get it”. They know it is not just about them but the overall success. Another key is to ask them what they have most proud of doing. They will usually talk about their achievements or how they helped someone; again listen for the passion. I have never found a leader who was not passionate and I think that is the real key – to have the passion to be a leader.
Leaders are enthusiastic and show passion for what they do; even when it’s difficult, trivial, or significant. They are part of the solution and focus on problem solving. Leaders see opportunity where others don’t. They take the initiative and speak up. Leaders help others grow. This is clear, title and position do not make a leader.
Someone who has vision, creativity, intelligence and professionalism. She must set the example with her strong work ethic, business ethics and dedication to the business, while also placing value of employee’s personal pursuits.
A leader is someone who has honesty and integrity as the foundation of who they are. Someone who is genuine and who has worked their way up the ladder. Forget about thinking “outside the box”, demonstrate that you can build your own box and always do everything of those you are in charge of leading.
There are so many attributes that will determine leadership potential, and sadly, so many people lack so many of them.
Innovation to think beyond and outside the box, to incorporate the big picture, the company’s goals and path are paramount.
Effective and useful skills are a must. I need employees who can utilize well not only Excel, but be able to at least open a document in Word and write a letter.
The optimum person will not only learn our software to utilize it for their use, but when time permits, explore the software to see and understand other modules, to be a valuable user who can be relied upon to input data well, understand how errors affect all areas, learn how to spot and correct mistakes and be able to assist other users.
A good leader communicates on a professional level, emails and letters are well written, checked for grammar and spelling errors, and texting and other shortcuts not used. You are a reflection of your boss and your company, you are to make them look good while making yourself invaluable.
Learn new skills, learn everyone’s name that you come in contact with, from the janitor to the president. Be able to easily converse at least a little with anyone at any level.
Be a team player, help out. The idea that “that’s not MY job” shows that you are just a cog in the system, not a leader to help out.
Know that as a leader you are to set an example, be able to step into any of your employees roles to assist, train and guide them. A good leader always strives to improve those below him or her, to make their employees’ better at their job.
A good leader knows what is going on in their company, with their staff, and in their industry.
The ability to pay attention, be open to new ideas, share credit and be competent in their job will endear them to all levels of people in the company. Building bridges, how cliched, rather than walls makes for a leader people want to work for and with.
A good leader doesn’t have temper tantrums at work, dress or act like they are bar-hopping and keeps the drugs and booze out of the workplace.
A good leader is a grown up.
A leader should embrace vision, passion and execution, and top that off with courage and integrity.
He or she needs to communicate a clear vision for the organization, demonstrate great passion for the company’s products, services, customers and employees, and enable execution to be made possible despite roadblocks and dissent. Courage and integrity will allow the leader to realize these qualities in their full form.
A good leader is able to get your organization to do things that it can’t do on its own. Any leader can identify the problem and maybe even the solution, but a good leader knows how to make it happen.
Character, vision and commitment.
If there is one thing that I learned from observing other people and from my own personal challenges as leader is that you can change, improve and build knowledge and experience, but it’s real difficult to change personalities. So the most important thing to ask in an interview is how the person would or have handled certain situations. Maybe even challenge the person by saying “if I tell you that what you just said is wrong, what you would say to me?” This will show you if the person can respond as a leader. True leaders can not be afraid of failures, making mistakes or being honest about their own limitations. But they overcome those factors and continue taking risks. Personality is the most important thing to look at.
Managers are people who do things right, while leaders are people who do the right thing
Leadership is the ability to steer the ship during good and bad times. To make unpopular decisions that are right for the business in good and bad economies. To keep people to motivated to want more when business is good or bad.
A true leader is one who has not only mastered the task of being an “example” within their chosen field, but also helps their employees become true leaders also.
Communicating well with their employees and making each person feel like a special part of the team is integral to being a true leader.
Creativity – Communicating – Leadership – Passion and a
” CAN DO ” Attitude shows true Leadership Quality.
I hire people for a seasonal job and within in a few hours of work I can see who are leaders. They take initiative to do things without being told, eager to do anything you ask without complaining or hem-hawing. Notice things are wrong or need to be fixed and DO IT.
Those are jsut a few things
I feel a leader entails being a stable individual who is able to listen to opinions and suggestions of others, able to make and orchestrate change and productivity in a positive manner and who has enough flexability to know that things can be tweaked and revamped to correct situations that stray away from agendas, and also someone who can be assertive.
someone who is not afraid to get down in the trenches and work with the people he/she wants to lead. Someone who has the ability to gain respect of their followers.
I most important thing that I find in these tough times is the ability to relate/understand the employees and listen to their needs. Also, someone who is not be afraid to get your hands dirty, so to speak, and stress a team environment.
Leadership is the ability to see what needs to get done, the experience to know how to do it, and the integrity and confidence in one’s self to empower others to gain the knowledge of doing it once and doing it right.
The most important quality I look for in a leader is the ability to see the goal and willingness to work to acheive the goal – someone who is willing to work alongside the employees instead of only ordering them around.
Recruiting for leadership roles in my company requires great skills. First and foremost with me is confidence, the individual has to be sure of themselves. Second is personality. You have to be confident in your own abilities but have the right personality to convince your peers and constituents. Then you must have a proven track record. If a young person, future leader, they may have been captain of a football team or a drum major or class president. As an older person, has proven their talents and improved whatever company or group they have been a leader of.
Leadership of the art of influencing that you gain someone’s trust and willing obedience to achieve a task or objective. In our organization we believe trust is the foundation of all relationships. We look for someone who embodies our core values of absolute honesty and integrity, customer service driven internally and externally, highest and best use of time. Our leaders work to foster an ethical work environment and do not misrepresent themselves for personal gain. They are committed to themselves, their team and the company’s vision.
We look for an individual who is a proven leader in their field, but more importantly, someone who is adaptable and able to change with conditions and company direction.
Leaders are good listeners. They listen to their team, they listen to their clients and they listen to themselves. After they have listened, they take action. They also celebrate successes, big and small, in they way the team or individual likes to be recognized, not the way the leader him or her self likes to be recognized.
As we look towards the future of our successful 43 year old company, we must look for leaders who have clear vision for the future and are able to set a strategy on how to achieve the vision. These leaders motivate others, inspire others and are able to communicate their vision to the entire team. The foundation is here, but the operation is ever changing, just as it is in the outside world. A successful leader can take the two and continue to have outstanding company.
I believe that the best way to identify a leader is by measuring the knowledge he has of the business. He/She is a good communicator and bases his opinion on facts not on assumptions. In addition, a leader has the capacity to provide direction, leads by example and is results oriented. He/She is always open to change and has a creative mind to increase production while incorporating motivational factors.
Characteristics of a successful leader; respectful, humble, and always aware of his/her employee’s needs. Always teaching and motivating with positive influence. Able to look at the big picture without letting the minor details getting in the way.
A good leader is someone who is strong and humble in equal strenght. Shows concern for the personal develoment of their employees and growth for the organization. Is also able to realize and respect those with more specialized knowledge can help them achieve more.
A leader must be people centric, meaning that a good leader must understand the value that their staff can bring to the organization and most importantly how to leverage those strengths.
“What quality or characteristic do you look for – above all else – when looking for your organization’s next leader, and why?”
Pragmatism. An understanding that leadership is contextual and goal driven.
A+ performer in all jobs and education, demonstrating respect for good work at all levels, demonstrated effective team member and leader. Creative and insightful. and able to initiate a brilliant strategy and then effectively delegate and move on. I work with young growing companies and look for experience, skills and values that are in alignment with the particular culture of a start up company.
Here is what to look for a leader for any organization:
1. Not a whiner; complainer; blamer; always threatening to fire you; tailoring belief systems to suit the exigencies of a situation; keeps you guessing till the last moment or a guy who creates a mess by taking a bad decision and then leaves it for others to clean it up.
2. A person who is fair beyond doubt.
3. Effective communicator: Some one who can define a goal with great clarity and then turn it in to an inspiring vision.
4. Leads from the front and is able to imbue others with clarity of purpose.
5. Ability to leverage the individual strengths of the team while keeping their weaknesses in check.
6. Always accessible to the team, trustworthy and empathetic.
7. Lastly, the ability to standby the team members in times of crisis and be generous to praise when milestones are reached. Has the courage to take ownership for failures and attribute the successes to the team.
In today’s business environment, a leader must be driven, motivated and able to effectively lead the team to meet the business goals.
The quality or characteristics, above all else – when I look for an organization’s next leader is someone that is mission driven, compassionate, consistant and outcome oriented. Because if they do not possess these qualities and characteristics, they will not be able to create the productive environment or get the buy-in and results needed from constituents, clients or staff.
A truly effective leader is a combination of skills–an ability to confidently and decisively communicate a vision and direction, all the while being possessing an ability to listen and learn. A leader doesn’t have all the answers.
In a leader we look for: Integrity, Accountability, Creativity & Innovation above all else.
Look for the person that doesn’t fly under the radar when the going gets tough. This person is the one your people turn to when they need help, advice, or expertise to get the job done. This person rallies the team, drives results and move the bottom line. But perhaps the easiest way to identify a good leader, is to become one.
A leader must be someone who can be respected and looked up to and who has the drive to take control without being asked to.
A leader must be able to recognize the faults of himself and his team and have the ability to move towards overcoming these obstacles and making things work.
Ability to understand a company’s value chain (cause & effect relationships)and the ability to think to the next step/steps. There are many who are competent in one area but in order to effectively lead, you need to understand how your company drives value from beginning to end. Then you need to be able to take an idea/problem/opportunity and move it to successful resolution. The trait that is most important to do achieve this? The ability to listen.
A strong leader has the ability to look at long term goals and deal with daily tasks that will take a company to goal completion. She should be an effective communicator that sees the strengths and weaknesses of each team member and can leverage each employee’s strengths to postively impact the company.
Attitude is very important to us because if you don’t have the right mindset you can not lead by example. Also someone who believes in accountability for themselves as well as those they supervise with the ability to communicate clearly to those around them. If your staff doesn’t know the rules how can they play the game?
I look for someone that can speak openly about their past mistakes. Assuming that they have clearly learned from them, this is a great indicator that they know how much they have grown in their field. Additionally, they are more apt to allow their employees to go down paths that may lead to “mistakes” from which they can learn.
The ability to get followers.
Leaders attract followers.
I look for those who others will work with and for. People instinctively know who is a leader or future leader and their actions point the way.
Great question.
Mike
New Leaders need to be sensitve enough to understand people, inspiring enough to lead people, courageous enough to make tough people decisions, and strategic enough to know how to move forward.
I identify a leader by a person leading by example. They do not need to be asked what to do if they see something that has to be done and isn’t apart of their job they will do it anyways. Also, they need to be a team player without that no one will “recognize you.” The person also needs to stand out in the way that they enjoy the job; they might not have the best job in the world but keep their home/personal life at home and work here no matter how bad of a day its been. Also someone that has positivity in their life.
I believe what makes an effective leader is someone who maintains a sense of situational awareness during these crazy times in corporate America. People cling to individuals who remain calm during crisis and guide them to be the best they can become. Leaders don’t need to be told, they already know what needs to be done, they seek to identify the strengths of their people and they capitalize on those attributes not only to make the best of the corporation but to develop those individuals who demonstrate leadership ability and will in the future run their organization. Good leaders do not forget where they came from and they understand to develop you have to mentor and stimulate the minds of different generations, and they educate themselves in order to help others grow and become the best they can become in their career development.
Someone who leads by example and has not only the drive, but the passion and the heart to succeed.
A leader is someone who isn’t afraid to take ownership and responsibility to address issues and solve problems. They work with the people to come up with better ways to do things and follow through to ensure it gets done, not just because of a quick fix, but to resolve the root cause so the problem doesn’t keep reoccuring. They also treat people fairly and consistenty and hold others accountable – by being firm yet friendly. People watch all leaders and they have to know they can trust the leader by their actions.
a leader is someone who enters an agency with multiple new creative ideas to bring the company to a higher plane. at the same time, this leader is aware of his or her limitations and the companies goals and doesn’t exert themself and wear themselves out.
You do not find Leadership. It finds you.
What is meant by this is Leadership cannot always be assessed or diagnosed in an interview. It emerges when the situation call for someone to step up and take charge. It can come at any time, from any direction. You do not need a title or certain amount of experience (although this can help). You need courage, conviction and the ability to rally others for a common goal…
The characteristic most defining in a leader is their ability to stand out within an organization— taking on some risks and responsibility, then holding themselves accountable for the outcome. It’s very easy when the atmosphere is positive to be a leader. It’s when times are tough, leadership is most crucial.
I believe the most inportant quality is the ability to influence others. When identifying a good manager within your current staff it is important to identfy the person that everyone flocks to; that seems to always have the answer and people/coworkers seem to trust; this is the person that knows their key to success does not lie with what they know but with who they can surround themselves with that bring the knowledge and expertise to them. A people magnet if you will.
I look for a leadership attitude. That includes a level of self confidence, a level of the ability to learn the challenges of the jobs they will be
managing, and the ability to know what’s important to the people in his/her department.
Decision-making skills. Nothing is worse if you get a leader that waffles on everything.
What we mainly look for is flexibility. With so many generations in the workforce, flexibility is key.
The quality we look for above all else is the ability to influence others. Someone who can enlist the help and support of others in order to accomplish a common goal.
The qualities I look for in a leader are: someone who wants to achieve high goals rather than simply bossing people around; honesty and integrity; self-confidence, someone who implements, motivates and provides direction; someone who conveys a strong vision of the future; someone who effectively communicates and listens; someone who commands respect and helps employees understand how they contribute to the company’s overall success.
If I was tasked with recruiting our next leader, I would look for numerous qualities as I believe it is a combination of factors that makes someone successful in leading an organization. The top 3 that I would look for are that they have a history of leading by example, (especially in today’s economy) someone that is open to change, and most importantly, someone who motivates and empowers their staff with their vision for the organization.
The best leaders I’ve ever had are those who are willing to work with the front line workers, putting a little elbow grease into what they do. If a supervisor exudes the air of being “too good” for the menial tasks, s/he doesn’t gain the respect of his/her employees. I want a leader who not only has an understanding of the work I do, but is also willing to do it alongside me when the need arises.
A real leader is one is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. A real leader does not feel that any task is beneath him. A real leader looks out for his staff and is honest and fair.
Its always a balancing act for a leader. A true leader knows how to teach and guide people without micromanaging each individual task. There is a time and place for learning excercises, and a leader knows when to make an employee’s question a “learning excercise” and when to simply answer the question so that productivity and efficency are not lost. Most importantly, a leader must recoginze each individuals talents and skills and capitalize on those, so that the office and the employee are successful.
The leader I am looking for has a constant drive/desire to learn new things and to advance the knowledge of those around them. This trait, when combined with the essential ability to work collaboratively with others, is a powerful force that will drive business evolution, innovation and success.
The important qualities for any leader to possess are a vision for the future, a proven track record of results, strong communication skills and the ability to relate to all employees. The best leaders are those who can inspire and motivate others.
To me, a leader is someone who gets their team to do what they want them to do because the team wants to do it. A leader has a clear vision and conveys the importance of every individual in achieving their goals. When the goals of the team are accomplished, a leader is the person in the background who allows their team to accept all the praise and compliments they have earned.
Courage. We expect the most from our employees at all levels. We expect them to have the courage to take risks, be bold on behalf of our clients, own their actions and look fearlessly to the future and the possibilities it holds.
A leader to me obviously takes charge and thinks before speaking. He/She doesn’t have to have a second opinion in a decision. I look for confidence. You can’t be a leader without it.
The mark of a true leader is one who consistently inspires all around him or her to greatness; either by example, experience, knowledge, empathy, motivation and encouragement, or confidence.
This has been a topic we are discussing at our company. Many people can look like great leaders when things are going well. It is a true leader that can have vision and strategically plan for the future while encouraging and motivating their employees to higher levels of productivity when business is not thriving as in past years. Leaders must demonstrate behaviors they expect others to follow.
The qualities I look for in a leader are: 1) Someone with an actual vision and plan to accomplish the goals. 2) Someone who is not afraid of making mistakes to bring the vision to fruition. 3) Someone who is not too proud to lead by example by pitching in and getting involved…. From my experience, when someone possesses these traits, they make for a quality leader in an organization.
A leader is someone who looks to develop his/her team, and ultimately his/her replacement while doing all he/she can to motivate his/her team to meet and exceed the organization’s goals. The exceptional leader puts the team and organization first. Those who best serve tend to be those who best lead.
When identifying an up and coming leader we look for someone who has lead by example. Someone who is not self serving but a servant leader, i.e., wihtout ego and willing to go above & beyond and to do whatever it takes to assist the team in achieving successful outcomes.
[...] week, readers, I challenged you to tell me what qualities you consider most important when identifying new leaders. I guess this question struck a chord, judging by the number of passionate responses I received [...]