Being a leader is not as simple as making decisions and giving orders. There is a wide array of qualities that every leader needs to possess in order to be successful, especially when taking on the management of a company or division. To help you sift through all the candidate resumes on your desk, take a look at the five top traits that will help your new executive achieve success.
Self Awareness
Being self-aware is much more than knowing what makes you tick, it is also having confidence in your own emotional intelligence and using your skills to be able to adapt, change and communicate well with others. When you are hiring a new executive, you can tell how self aware they are by their ability to communicate effectively, their willingness to change and whether they are able to listen effectively and use the information that has been shared with them. People that can do this are an asset to any company that needs a dynamic leader who can rally their team.
Accountability
Another important trait for any leader is being able to take accountability when things don’t pan out the way that they were meant to. It can be hard to pull a team together when things go wrong but if there is a leader who is willing to recognise what happened and take responsibility then the team is more likely to be able to recover, reflect and move on. Accountability doesn’t just relate to negative moments; it also means finding a leader that can recognise when things are going well and provide positive feedback and recognition to those that made it happen as this will keep a team working well together.
Empathy
Having an empathic leader is essential when it comes to growing trust and engagement with employees. Executives that are empathic are often able to relate well to others and build strong working relationships that will endure even when times are tough. Empathic leaders are also able to notice signs of stress and burnout, helping employees to get the support they need to move forward. If a leader is invested in work life balance and growing a happy team, then they are more likely to want to work hard to achieve the goals that are in play.
Vision
Working for a leader who has a clear idea of where they are taking the company and can communicate their vision breads security and confidence in the team. Most people go to work because they want to succeed and having a clearly defined path allows everyone to work together towards a common goal. Not only is this great for employees, but it also helps to strengthen the way the company is seen by investors and the wider public. Plus, it helps to show the company’s expertise and help attract new clients, investors, and interest.
Ethical
Having good ethics and being honest is hugely important for any leadership position, especially when you want a leader that understands the impact of what they are doing on the people and places that surround them as well as the wider global impact they have. Making ethical decisions helps a company to garner trust from their employees and raises awareness of ethical practice with the wider team. It also helps to encourage an open and honest workplace where people are respected for their values and beliefs and supported when things don’t turn out the way they were planned.
Find Your Next Executive with GeneCoda®
If you are ready to find an executive with all the leadership traits we’ve discussed, then it’s time to let GeneCoda® help. We are an executive search firm that specializes in Life Science recruitment in the US, get in touch with us to discuss your needs and look forward to finding the best executives with ease.