Recently I’ve been working with a number of clients who are on the cusp of C-Suite roles or the move is on their career path in 2023. There is unlimited information on what leadership skills are ‘critical’ and how to acquire them. Our Inbox’s are bulging with invitations to leadership training courses, programs, discussions and think tanks. However, our leadership development plan must be underpinned with what leadership qualities your organisation values – now.
Interestingly, a recent article in the Harvard Business Review reported that research based on a rich data set from 5,000 job descriptions highlighted that what companies are really seeking are leaders with strong social skills: “soft skills” are steadily increasing as what companies want in their heads of Tech, HR, finance, marketing and the CEO.
So, the leaders that are most in demand from a recruitment perspective seems to be those who can motivate diverse, global workforces and effectively work with a myriad of stakeholders, within technologically savvy, rapidly changing companies. The research shows that while hard skills like finance acumen and operational expertise matter, the new indicators of outstanding performance for executives are in the emotional intelligence arena: self-awareness, empathy deftness, active listening, communicating effectively and working fluidly and inclusively with many different kinds of people.
Well worth a read as the year draws to a close and we expand on our career plans for 2023.
