Showcasing Leadership Skills

By Marji McClure

If you think your chances of getting ahead in your current organization are slim, you’re not alone. Sixty-three percent of senior-level executives surveyed in ExecuNet’s 2005 Executive Job Market Intelligence Report reported they had little opportunity for advancement in their organization regardless of how well they performed their duties. The organizational infrastructure in which these executives, and perhaps you as well, perform has been far more focused on survival and profits than on advancing top performers up the corporate ladder.

There is a free agent culture growing in organizations today in which employees are looking for flexibility in their careers and do not feel committed to one organization, said Lauryn Franzoni, ExecuNet vice president during Developing Leadership Skills to Move to the Next Level, an audio conference produced by ExecuNet in conjunction with Leadership Strategies newsletter. “Often, it’s the individual manager who can be the biggest stumbling block to a staff member’s internal mobility,” Franzoni said.

The manager is not only preventing that employee from advancing within the organization, but also promoting unwanted attrition (especially of key employees), added Franzoni. In response, some organizations are now creating environments that specifically reward managers who motivate their staff members to advance within the company.

While managers in these particular organizations are incented to enable environments in which all staff members are encouraged to grow and thrive, there is still the natural instinct to look out for themselves first. The main reason is obvious: if they do a good job, they feel they will be rewarded — and promoted. However, noted Franzoni, that doesn’t always happen — as suggested by the ExecuNet report. “There is a real tug-ofwar going on between the manager who wants to maintain his or her own success by keeping his team in place and the company’s desire to promote retention of valued employees by offering avenues for advancement.”

Franzoni warned that middle managers often believe if they do the technical aspects of their jobs well, a promotion to the executive suite will always follow; when in fact, organizations seeking new executive hires look far beyond technical capability. “Top management tells us that the technical expertise, while important, is not nearly as important as leadership ability. But finding candidates that possess a combination of these skills has proven to be a challenge.”

Seventy-seven percent of search firm professionals recently surveyed by ExecuNet noted that there is a shortage of qualified executive talent in the market, an increase from 64 percent a year ago. It’s more important than ever to put yourself in a position to be found by displaying those key leadership-based characteristics.

Show Me the Leader: Let Everyone See Your Skills

“To compete for the best jobs in your company and to be seen as the best talent in your industry, you’ve got to demonstrate that you possess these traits and skills every day,” said Franzoni.

“Demonstrating leadership qualities every day means maintaining 100 percent integrity in everything you do. It’s knowing yourself and really being authoritative. It’s being able to clearly articulate your vision through your group, your division, your company; being able to act quickly, make decisions quickly and to show your commitment.” Franzoni added that it is important to take care of your current team: to trust the team and be trusted by it. You must show that you are a leader.

And keep in mind that leadership experience in one industry can be transferred to another. “Skills are transferable. A lot of us forget that things that make you successful as a manager don’t have as much to do with the industry in which you find yourself or the company in which you are applying those skills. It’s the skills themselves that make you successful,” commented Dave Opton, founder and CEO of ExecuNet during the program.

Executive recruiter David Perry, managing director of Perry-Martel International, concurs. “Over the course of more than two decades, I’ve observed that it’s far more important for a candidate to express specific intangible core attributes over specific industry experience,” said Perry.

Thinking Beyond Technical: The Skills That Really Matter

Profiles of successful high-performance people reveal that their most important competence had little to do with skill, brains or work experience, but rather had a big impact on their mindset, said Perry. “Companies want to attract the individuals who are confident they can, if necessary, complete a week’s worth of tasks in a day (or even a morning),” he said.

You learn about “mindset” and a candidate’s character by analyzing the major events that have shaped his or her life. Does the candidate view the glass as half empty or half full? How much integrity and credibility does the candidate have among peers? Other attributes Perry says recruiters look for in candidates include resiliency (how does a candidate respond to adversity?) and intellect. “We’re looking for someone who has an enterprising thought process. Do they come up with 100 ideas to find the two that are highly creative and are going to pull you forward?”

Other important attributes are market- driving ability (can the candidate capture and define a business strategy?) and business knowledge (is there knowledge of the business or business segment; is it superficial or extensive enough to allow them to provide superior counsel to senior management and across all functional disciplines?). Additional attributes recruiters seek include emotional intelligence, persistence, empathy and leadership.

Are You A Leader?

Perry listed seven things recruiters look for when determining leadership qualities of a candidate. Here’s a summary of his checklist:

Proactive. Does the candidate possess a forward-thinking proactive mindset?
Entrepreneurial/intrapreneurial. Does the candidate watch dollar and time expenses like an entrepreneur would; as if he or she owned the company?
Visionary capabilities. Does the candidate have the ability to serve as a visionary for the future of the company and recognize the value of getting ahead of the curve?
Passion. Is the candidate passionate about your company or is he just looking for another job?
Stamina. Has the candidate already demonstrated an unrelenting spirit?
Focus on results. Has the candidate demonstrated an ability to recruit high quality subordinates to generate high levels of performance?
Human capital skills. Does the candidate have an ability to hire and fire quickly and effectively and blend together the intricate personalities, quirks and talents of people?

So how do recruiters evaluate you against these leadership-based attributes?

Recruiters must really listen to what a candidate says and how he says it, Perry explained. They must also analyze how insightful a candidate’s questions about a company are and if the candidate really did his homework in preparing for the interview. Also, recruiters have to determine if a candidate’s accomplishments are his own or are the result of an overenthusiastic résumé writer.

Perry also pointed out characteristics recruiters should avoid when evaluating candidates based on superficial factors, such as an outgoing personality, product knowledge and corporate pedigree. None of these characteristics ensure success. Instead, recruiters must look for more substantial qualities.

“All successful executives have a warrior- like resiliency about them which allows them to persevere no matter how difficult the task,” said Perry. “They must have a superior work ethic, extraordinary stamina, and the ability to create an energy- charged, enthusiastic work environment. Ultimately, they must enjoy whatever it takes to get the job done.”