We’ve all heard the saying, “Leaders are made, not born.” That statement rings true when it comes to managerial roles. When organizations need to fulfill management positions, they aren’t just hiring anyone. With the added expectations and responsibilities necessary for effective management, you want to make sure that you’re finding the right fit for your organization.

To keep up with the ever-evolving workplace, a candidate who is collaborative, and is always developing and applying new skills to grow the organization will get the job done. For organizations to ensure leadership success, instilling outcomes and expectations will help not only to foster developmental success for the candidate but will also help them to embrace the dynamic of being a proactive leader. For recruiters, it is essential to find the right individual for the job. Understanding and assessing candidates key competencies will help highlight candidates that will help drive successful growth for your organization.

Leadership

Having outstanding management skills is a key factor in any managers career. But, to possess strong leadership skills is even more important.

For companies to find viable candidates, they must possess strong leadership skills. The ability to have strong leadership skills includes the ability to influence groups of people to achieve a common goal for the greater good of the company. Candidates must be able to develop and articulate reasonable goals with the task of holding others accountable, including themselves. Not only that, they must be able to make decisions, no matter the circumstance.

It’s also important for hiring managers to factor in how candidates leaderships skills will factor into the overall success of the team. Are they willing to develop their team through mentoring? Do they have the ability to empower and motivate employees? Are they able to provide constructive feedback?

Candidates who don’t possess leadership skills and are unable to meet the needs of their team can cause a lack of engagement. Disengaged employees outnumber engaged employees by nearly 2-to-1. Low engagement can have a negative effect on the company in many ways. Companies with low employee engagement are less productive, less profitable and not as likely to remain loyal or stick around. Compared to disengaged employees, those that are engaged show 24% to 59% less turnover, 17% more productiveness and 21% greater profitability for the company.

Effective Communication

The ability to communicate effectively with others is an essential competency that every employee should hold, especially candidates pursuing managerial roles. 73.4% of candidates think effective communication is a very important factor for great leadership. If you struggle in communicating well with others, then maybe this isn’t the role for you.

Developing leadership skills continues with being able to effectively communicate with others. Evaluating the workplace environment, preparing plans and making decisions require effective communication. Hiring managers and recruiters seek candidates that possess strong communication skills and are able to positively engage and interact with different kinds of people throughout the company. Effective leaders must master all forms of communication: written, verbal and auditory. After all, they will serve as the main line of communication between lower-level positions and senior management.

When it comes to team settings, finding a manager who can clearly state the roles of each team member, while delegating tasks and responsibilities, is going to be successful in getting the most out of the team. In order to work with your team, you have to communicate with them. This will help open up a collaborative setting where individuals will be able to discuss ideas and work together, efficiently and effectively.

Problem Solving

When team members come to you regarding a question or an issue that has occurred, how are you going to address it? As a leader, you are proactive and committed to solving problems. With a clear goal at hand, you are able to effectively transition your team in a positive direction. In turn, you’ll need to be able to answer all questions being asked, and take necessary and appropriate actions when issues occur.

Steps in Problem Solving include:

  • Exploring the underlying cause of the issue or problem
  • Creating a list of options to solve the issue and achieve your end goal
  • Making a decision as to what the best option is
  • Putting those solutions into action
  • Evaluating whether or not the options solved the issue or problem

Poor management is known to have many negative effects on a company. Factors that could affect the success of an organization include job satisfaction, the productivity in a position and turnover rate. It’s crucial to put the right people in the right roles to avoid creating these negative outcomes. Assessing these three leadership competencies will ensure a company to effectively recruit, develop and promote leaders.

Caliper has the tools and experts to help you develop the strong leaders you need from current and future success. Let us help you select, coach and develop your talent today!