True VALUE of Leadership

Most people say it is the intellect which makes a great scientist. They are wrong it’s the“Character” a quote from Albert Einstein.

Never underestimate the value in the character in leadership. How many corporates emphasize technical skills in senior management, only to overlook the true characteristics of its leadership.How pertinent are these skills and do they differ in various geographies?

I have spent many years working in Africa where skills are dispersed over an area of 30.37 km2 with a population of 1.216 billion. Africa has been my biggest challenge having 54 countries with 54 different rules coupled with an in-depth network and system that is not designed for the weak. Africa is a continent flamboyant with colors, character and an abundance of natural resources. A continent filled with opportunity however shadowed with skills shortages and challenges. The question remains, how do we address the challenges to capitalise on the opportunity? Do we impose a “generic job description” or do we appoint leaders and support them with industry expert decision makers?

In South Africa, over the past 10 years, salary scales have added little value in the way of guidance or influence, race and demographics have taken center stage and become the ultimate deciding factor. A bargaining tool to the top bidder with no guarantee of longevity.

During this time and more so than ever, I realize the true impact of leadership. A true leader who will be capable of transforming the business, mapping out the vision whilst installing transformation, confidence and motivating the team. This takes a strong character. A true leader will not hesitate to recruit individuals that are stronger than him/ her to surround himself with the best team. He/she needs to be able to apply and understand cultural diversity, embrace collaboration and encourage succession planning.

Leadership will always have a vision whilst he/she inspires, leads and delegates a team demonstrating good judgement and empathy towards his/her employees. One of the many joys in my career is to witness C level Executives surrounding themselves with a team that compliments their weakness creating a ying-yang effect. As global companies continue to enter emerging markets, they face new challenges in finding the best captain to steer their ship. Here the impact of the correct skills development and succession planning are critical to circumvent any negative effects on the business. It is important that a leader identifies a mentor and part of a personal growth mentors someone in his team to facilitate succession planning. The commitment to mentorship can be exhausting but rewarding at the same time.

As critical as succession planning is, it should go hand in hand with an attractive retention scheme or bonus.Once the right people have been identified and attracted to the organsation, it is critical to retain them through performance rewards in the form of shares, bonuses and educational programs to name a few. These wonderful attributes that a company can offer an individual need to be communicated to a recruiter in order to attract and secure the best talent.

As a C level recruiter, it is essential in identifying the technical and soft skills set required and the availability of those skills within the geography against the global expectations and salary bands. This needs to be communicated at all levels and a further step taken to identify the short- and long-term development/support that will be available to the successful candidates based on the above in order to have a good match. The Soft skills so desperately required at C level and are often underestimated and sometimes overlooked or not identified when drafting the “perfect job profile”. Through direct communication this can be made clear and a seasoned recruiter will identify other potential candidates to high light alternative profiles in alignment with the companies mapping and succession planning. The placement of a successful leader is relative to the communication between a recruiter and the decision maker.

What is the value of leadership? Leadership is valuable as It represents the core of the company. There are many types of leadership from coaching, collaborative to authoritarian that orchestrates the companies value systems. It is important that value and integrity are part of the composition for a great conductor. Einstein’s reference to the character of an individual superseding one’s intellectual ambition is comparable in this regard.

During an assessment of a candidate to C level suitability, it is easy to overlook the key technical competencies when one is interacting with a worthy individual that displays a charismatic disposition. A good personality always takes control of operational issues by communicating effectively and giving direction. I am of the opinion that this can build strong relationships and teams to overcome technical competencies.

To further compound the above, I was referencing a Managing Director recently with a long- standing client. Interestingly, the client made use of his company because of the individual’s character, values and leadership style. He was quick to say, “we buy the service”. What he was really saying is that “we buy the person” capable of making it happen.

There are various personality traits that are sought after such as good judgement, EQ and empathy. Through my years in head hunting C Level executives, I am astounded when I come across leaders who lack these soft skills which are critical attributes in a good character.

Business has evolved and the challenges of Brexit and Covid-19 have forced companies to place leadership under the spotlight where remote delegation and P & L management are under scrutiny by shareholders and board members. Recently, I was talking to a CEO of an international company and “how he was managing remote leadership?”. The response I received was priceless. “those who need to be managed are at the office, my leadership team work remotely”. “We rotate this process in alignment with our immediate needs”. Simply put, a good character does not need to be motivated. His team however need direction.

Character extends beyond the Board room, business development, securing business and acquiring tenders involve building relationships. Business is often conducted over a lunch, dinner or a sports event which are commonly interlinked with culture, religion, country and personalities. Given the current pandemic, it is crucial to maintain strong relationships which takes a strong character.

A leader requires a personality that is collaborative, understanding and communicative to his/ her board of directors/clients and team. Dealing with people in a charismatic and professional manner whilst managing conflict and motivating a team to deliver their best.

When recruiting your C level executive or critical expert, we can help you identify and define the right character by assessing the required soft skills needed. The benefits of using an outside Executive Search firm gives the company a holistic view of the market without compromising integrity.

I invite you to set up a virtual meeting and allow Alexander Hughes UK to find you the right “character” and overcome today’s challenges.