I’ve recently begun following a blogger named Jamie Notter, who is an Organizational Effectiveness expert, and I must say I am really enjoying his posts, as I think he is spot-on on a number of topics. He recently posted an entry titled Becoming a Leader, My Top 3 List. I couldn’t think of a better way to kick off the “Culture Matters” Blog than to respond to this great post. It also seems that his post has struck a chord with many others out there. You can see their comments/entries and Jamie’s original post by clicking the following link.
Becoming a Leader: My Top 3 List
Jamie’s Top 3 Leadership characteristics are 1)Know Yourself 2)Understand Systems and 3)Learn to communicate.
Although I am going to add my top 3 here as well, I want to point out that I agree with many of Jamie’s original thoughts as well as most of the thoughts posted in the comments area. My frame of reference will be slightly different, being an Executive Recruiter, but I believe they will mainly serve to re-iterate many of the comments already made.
One of the key pieces of my job (and my colleague’s jobs here at KeyStone) is to vet executive candidates against the unique cultures/values of clients. We differentiate ourselves in the marketplace with a “culture first” approach and consequently our clients are organizations who believe in the power of a well aligned culture. These clients are thinking likewise when making hiring decisions, making sure they are hiring someone that will serve to further align and advance the culture of the organization.
Of course, every search we conduct has it’s own unique “template” for core values and cultural fit. This said however, we have found 3 critical things that we look for in every executive candidate regardless of the culture they may be entering. A low score on any of these has become a knock out punch in our process.
1) Communicator - Communication can happen in many forms i.e. one on one, in groups, by e-mail, by phone, etc… but it has to be happening on a consistent basis if this leader is going to be a champion for the culture/vision. If the candidate is not a consistent, or even better, the “constant” communicator (which includes being a good listener by the way), they are not a good candidate.
2) Self-Esteem - We look for people who are confident but not arrogant. Many believe that executives who are larger than life, arrogant or overly confident have high self esteem. This is actually not the case most of the time. Most executives that display over-confidence or arrogance are actually not very confident in themselves and therefore cut down or continually lay blame on others in order to rise through the organization. Low self-esteem whether it shows up as cockiness (most often with execs) or on the other end of the spectrum (inability to inspire/lead), is another knock out punch.
3) Non-Hierarchical Thinkers - To effectively carry the cultural/visionary message throughout an organization one has to have the ability to create trust relationships at all levels, not just at the executive level. If a candidate is obviously an elitist, treating lower level employees with less respect than the higher-ups, they will be a hindrance to cultural alignment. Again, a major red flag in our eyes. (Just as a little tip in this regard, I like to see how executive candidates treat the receptionist when they enter for an interview).
I’ve truly enjoyed reading all your thoughts - Thanks Jamie for getting this started!
Mike Frommelt, Principal