When organizations face the critical task of selecting a new manager or executive, they aspire to choose a real leader. After all, leaders, not chiefs or bosses, are what we all
admire. Selecting the right person, whether it is for a corporate board, to run a public
office or for a management position, requires a clear understanding of what leadership is
(and is not), plus the correct tools to identify the closest match to your organization's
needs among a host of "qualified" candidates.
The astute observation by leadership scholar Warren Bennis (above) reminds us that maturity of character lies at the heart of sound leadership. Only a balance of knowledge, vision, and virtue equals good leadership. Moreover, research by Kouzes and Posner suggests integrity is the most desired and compelling attribute of effective executives.
Character, however, is not a technical trait that can be determined from a resume. A person's core values are not readily apparent in such "selling documents." Despite the crucial role that character plays in organizational leadership, many institutions rely exclusively on a candidate's resume and overlook such essential personal attributes as:
- People Skills: an ability to communicate, motivate, and delegate.
- Conceptual Skill: a facility for abstract or strategic thinking.
- Taste: an ability to identify and cultivate talent.
- Judgment: Making difficult decisions in a short time frame with imperfect data.
- Stability: the demonstration of composure, trustworthiness, discipline, and patience
Instead, organizations hire managers largely based on technical competence (specific knowledge) and a record of accomplishment (experience). Such a narrow approach to managerial selection can be costly. For example, studies by the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) show that derailed executives typically experience an early string of successes because of their strong technical and problem solving skills. However, their demise was linked to poor interpersonal relationships
Many of you have seen promising leaders fail because they have betrayed the trust of their collaborators. According to CCL, this betrayal can take many forms such as saying one thing and doing another; putting one's personal agenda ahead of those of the organization; and failing to hold themselves-and those they manage-accountable.
Inevitably, the result of such deception is that the individual is unable to build a cohesive
and goal-oriented team. Initial results from the GLOBE project-a cross-cultural study
of leadership in 62 different cultures-similarly indicates that persons are perceived as
leaders to the extent that they are trustworthy, forward looking, inspiring, and
decisive. Character is thus a vital factor in the leadership equation.
When searching for managers or executives, the soft qualities of leadership must
be assessed; particularly important are a candidate's interpersonal skills. Fortunately, a
person's interpersonal skills can be measured inexpensively, efficiently and accurately
using tools such as multi-raters and personality inventories. Unfortunately, a person's
interpersonal skills are largely shaped at an early age, leaving little room for change in
adulthood. Rather than rely exclusively on post-employment developmental strategies
such as executive coaching, organizations might consider establishing pre-employment
executive selection procedures.
To determine a candidate's suitability for a given managerial position, it is not
enough to hold a series of interviews with the candidate. People who interview well may
have less attractive interpersonal tendencies which emerge only after the person is hired
and under pressure to perform. For instance, confidence is a quality that is desirable in
all leaders but an overconfident person can be overbearing and unwilling to admit
mistakes. Over time, this character trait can disrupt team performance and possibly derail
an individual's career. In addition to assessing personality, an organization should look
to see whether there is a match between a candidate's core values and the organization's.
Individual values focus and direct people's actions. Consequently, the most effective
CEOs are those whose values are congruent with those of the firm.
Because a candidate's character and values cannot be easily detected through
conventional means such as interviews and assessment centers, structured interviews
with former collaborators, the use of psychometric instruments designed to identify
career-derailing tendencies, and well-conducted reference checks should be employed.
While the task of choosing a new CEO or a new regional manager is not a simple one, it
is not impossible. By taking personality/leadership assessment seriously and
collaborating with a proven executive search consultant, any organization-regardless of
size, industry or location-can enable themselves to find and hire the right leaders.
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References
Bennis,W. (1999). The Leadership Advantage. Leader to Leader, Spring No. 12.
House, R. J. (1999). Cultural influences on leadership and organizations: Project globe. Advances in Global Leadership, Vol. 1. Greenwich, Ct.: JAI Press
Kouzes, J.M., and Posner, B. Z. The Leadership Challenge. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass, 2002.
Rajagopalan, N., and Datta, D. K. (1996). CEO characteristics: Does industry matter?
Academy of Management Journal, 39, 197-215.
Van Velsor, E. and Leslie, J.B. (1996) A Look at Derailment Today: North America and Europe. Greensboro, NC: Center for Creative Leader Leadership
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