What attributes make up the Corporate Leader that will deliver our Business Mission?

We set out to answer this key question by working with several clients across financial services, pharmaceutical, healthcare and other professional industries.

The Profile of Future Leadership

There is no single answer, but certainly some important themes emerged from our work at The Leader’s Evolution. The core, foundational attributes of strong leaders kept surfacing in a consistent beat, regardless of industry, job function or age.

  • Ability to Drive Results
  • Strong Business Acumen in Field
  • High Achiever Mindset
  • Collaborative
  • Critical Thinker
  • Ethical and Trustworthy

These attributes are the “Leadership Table Stakes” – what many professional service companies require for a seat at the leadership table or to be considered for a key role.  They are broadly accepted, and frequently connect directly to high performance and producing and achieving exceptional results.

Emerging Differentiators – Leaders of Tomorrow

Beyond these core elements, there are emerging characteristics that will serve our future leaders as true differentiators. These are attributes that winning companies will seek out in their leaders, and work to develop, cultivate and reward to ultimately fulfill their purpose.

So what are these differentiating characteristics?

  • Emotionally Intelligent – the leaders of tomorrow will be relational and highly networked.  They will use this network frequently to solve the biggest challenges. They will be resilient, durable, and emotionally grounded. They will invest in understanding the motivations of those around them. They will possess a growth mindset and will bring it to meet any problem or obstacle. They will be inclusive connectors and will use that gift to accomplish things well beyond the power of just one talented individual.
  • Adaptive to Change – our future leaders will be highly adaptable learners, possessing intellectual curiosity that allows them to pivot and shift across massive amounts of change. They will be anticipatory, strategic, and oriented to rapid learning, quick decisions and action.
  • Customer-Centric – our leaders of tomorrow will embrace the customers they serve through both empathy and a robust, end to end business knowledge. They will own an “external-in” perspective that mirrors that of their customer. They will understand the diversity and unique perspectives that their customers embody.

How many of these differentiators does your leadership team possess? Are you seeking to build these differentiating leadership characteristics in your organization and in your emerging leaders?

Takeaways

  • The key questions to ask and reflect upon in your organization are:
    •  “What attributes make up the Corporate Leader that will deliver our Business Mission?”
    • “Are our leadership programs designed and filled with experiences to shape and produce those leaders?”
  • There are certain leadership attributes that many companies embrace and seek to cultivate, including: ability to drive results, strong business acumen in the field, high achiever mindset, collaborative, creative thinker, ethical and trustworthy.
  • Differentiating characteristics are emerging that will separate the truly great leaders of tomorrow, and those include emotional intelligence, adaptability to learn and adjust to change, and customer-centricity.

These emerging leadership attributes will separate the winning businesses from those that stall and fail, and these attributes can be taught and developed in others. Contact us to learn how The Leader’s Evolution develops these critical attributes in your emerging leaders.