What defines a good leader? Look for these six qualities

WHAT DEFINES A GOOD LEADER? LOOK FOR THESE SIX QUALITIES

Modern business challenges can require new approaches. Leadership will need to evolve in order to continue to guide organisations in tomorrow's world of work. But what are the characteristics of a good modern leader in the workplace - and how can organisations develop them? 

Many studies draw parallels between effective leadership and solid organisational performance. But whether they’re a junior manager or a senior executive, the qualities that leaders need are changing.
 
Nearly 1,500 HR professionals ranked leadership development as the number one priority for 2025, with managers feeling 'overwhelemed' by the expansion of their responsibilities. In today’s unpredictable world, you must combine traditional leadership skills with new abilities. So, what does an effective modern leader look like?
 

1. Remember what makes a good leader

Before looking at the new skills future leaders may need, it is worth reflecting on what a leader actually is.
 
What are the qualities of a good leader? It’s not what you may think.
 
Being in charge of colleagues does not necessarily make you a ‘leader’. Former Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg explains: “Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.”
 
Retired astronaut Chris Hadfield believes that good leadership is: “Not about glorious crowning acts. It’s about keeping your team focused on a goal and motivated to do their best to achieve it. Especially when the stakes are high and the consequences really matter.”
 
There may be varying opinions on the strengths and weaknesses of leaders. But overall, most people believe that great leaders motivate their team members to perform their best and achieve common goals.
 
What traits do you need to achieve this in the modern workplace?
 

2. Use blended leadership styles for a VUCA world 

Stacey Philpot from Deloitte Consulting maintains that the core skills needed historically in leadership roles have remained unchanged.
 
“These skills allow someone to become a leader faster than their peers. This is even true in today’s volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environment,” she says.
 
The core skills for leading in a VUCA environment include:
 
  • Pattern recognition
  • Motivation
  • Agility
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Ability to understand, control and express emotions
 
This represents psychological assessments of 23,000 senior leaders globally over the past 25 years.
 
Consider introducing servant leadership:
 
Leaders need new styles of leadership to deal with changing cultures. Being comfortable with not having the answer and owning failure can create an environment of trust and openness.
 
Collectively, these behaviours form ‘servant leadership’. The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) defines servant leadership as emphasising behaviours and values such as:
 
  • Active listening
  • Empathy
  • Leading by example
 
These are instead of opting for a more authoritative, ‘command-and-control’ leadership style. Leaders create the conditions for team members to excel by displaying vulnerability. But given the stigma around servant leadership, how can organisations encourage it?
 
How to combat stigma surrounding servant leadership:
 
Alsu Polyakova, HR Leader for GE Healthcare, says reducing stigma around servant leadership will take a specific strategy. Most importantly frequent performance appraisals for leaders.
 
“We give leaders lots of opportunities for self-reflection, so they understand how they behave,” she says. GE Healthcare’s most successful leaders help to encourage behavioural change, Polyakova says. The company measures success by how well employees rate leaders on achieving GE Healthcare’s ‘cultural pillars’. These pillars include inspiring trust and empowering employees.
 

3. Create a culture of trust in the workplace

Gaining workers’ trust is more important than ever. One way to build trust is for leaders to take action on issues such as climate change. 71 percent of employees consider their CEOs’ social awareness as critically important, according to the Edelman Trust Barometer.
 
Social awareness may yield rich rewards. The Edelman poll shows that workers who trust their employers are far more engaged and remain more loyal than their more sceptical peers.
 
Leadership styles are clearly changing. The most effective leaders will need to tailor their styles to suit different scenarios, says Professor Sattar Bawany. “Leaders need a broad repertoire of management styles and the wisdom to know when each style should be used,” he says. “In crisis scenarios like cybersecurity breaches, for example, leadership should be authoritarian because the scenario is unstructured.”
 

4. Adapt your leadership style for different generations

Managers must also balance leadership styles to suit different generations. Modern workplaces will soon house up to five generations under one roof. Therefore, there will be many people with differing preferences on leadership style.
 
As of 2023, millennials are the biggest group in the UK workforce, at 35 percent. Modern leaders must mix old and new leadership styles that meet the needs of younger generations. Doing so will future proof organisations. However, new leadership approaches cannot come at the expense of alienating older workers.
 

5. Commit to lifelong learning

With the workplace evolving so rapidly, leaders cannot rely on past experience alone to get by. Ben Farmer, Head of HR at Amazon UK agrees: “Experience is not always synonymous with wisdom and judgement. And naivety doesn’t always engender novel thinking and openness to change.”
 
Organisations should look for leaders who understand the future as well as those with experience. “Success comes from the ability to combine understanding of exciting, new trends with the experience required to put that knowledge into action,” says Farmer.
 
But what is the right balance? There is no one-size-fits-all approach when balancing experience with adaptability. Achieving the right balance will mostly depend on the organisation and the sector it operates in.
 

6. Be conscious of culture

Organisational culture is an important factor. Risk-averse firms may prefer experience over novel thinking. Leaders may be fearful of a backlash from stakeholders should novel thinking fail. To lower risk, companies should seek leaders who use both scientific evidence and intuition when making decisions.
 
Ultimately, there’s no single blueprint for an effective modern leader. Each organisation must tailor their approach to leadership development. There must be a focus on organisational culture, industry nuances and employee mix.
 
But above all, leaders should recognise that today’s reality may be old news tomorrow.
 
 

For more expert advice, take a look at the following articles: 

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null The secrets of a successful sourcing partner

The secrets of a successful sourcing partner

To the untrained eye, the sourcing of candidates may seem a simple process, with technology enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the modern recruiter.
 
However, ask any workforce expert and they’ll likely admit it’s far from plain sailing (either that or they’re underestimating the task ahead!). Talent shortages, mismatched skillsets and the acceleration of technology-induced change have made the search for skills a complex challenge.

 

What makes a successful sourcing specialist?

 
So, what separates the good from the great in the world of sourcing? For Aleksander Koziel, a key element that underpins the success of any recruitment function is the behaviours displayed by candidate-facing recruiters.
 
With nearly a decade of experience in sourcing quality candidates for leading organisations, Aleks has distilled the critical competencies that distinguish top-tier sourcing partners, irrespective of their seniority, domain expertise, or organisational affiliation. Read on to unlock his top five behavioral insights.
 
 
1. Presenting data: an art and a science
 
In the dynamic world of workforce solutions, presenting data is an art form.
 
Seasoned sourcing partners stand out by skillfully analysing diverse data points, from market maps to talent insights. Armed with this information, they embark on briefing calls fully prepared, ready to shape the narrative.
 
Their prowess as negotiators allows them to answer the ever-persistent "why" from senior stakeholders, bridging the chasm between perception and reality. They transform raw data into compelling stories that captivate hiring managers and elevate decision-making.
 
 
2. Inquisitive minds that think beyond
 
A frequently quoted statistic in the world of work is that an enormous 80% of failed staffing activities can be traced back to the initial briefing call.
 
Often, the right questions aren’t asked at the beginning of the hiring process and various parties aren’t calibrated as to what kind of skillset and profile the organisation is searching for. This is particularly pertinent when the job description is system-generated, without adequate input and confirmation from the hiring team.
 
World-class sourcing partners mitigate this risk with their innate curiosity. They utilise every moment of the kickoff call to scrutinise, paraphrase, and validate the information they gather. They're unafraid to dig deeper, ensuring a crystal-clear understanding of the hiring manager's expectations. Only when they are confident in their grasp of the requirements do they embark on the candidate search.
 
The best sourcing partners aren't merely listeners; they are assertive questioners who leave no stone unturned.
 
 
3. Uncomplicating the complex
 
Exceptional recruiters aren't just well-versed in an array of search tools; they possess a unique ability to decode intricate job roles and skill sets. For example, a top-notch IT recruiter doesn't merely spot candidates with C++ expertise; they understand the nuances that differentiate it from other languages like C#.
 
Strong sourcing partners possess the art of translating the often abstract job description into relatable terms. They craft vivid, enticing descriptions that not only inform candidates but also ignite their curiosity.
 
After conversing with such a recruiter, candidates leave with a clear picture of the role and a newfound motivation to explore the opportunity further.
 
 
 
While recruitment training often emphasises Boolean strings and search mechanics, a true differentiator amongst staffing experts is the ability to communicate the Employer Value Proposition (EVP).
 
Sourcing partners who grasp this concept can engage candidates effectively by articulating what sets the hiring company apart from the competition. They continuously refer to key elements of the EVP, ensuring candidate engagement remains high throughout the hiring process.
 
Talented sourcing professionals understand that finding a candidate is only half the battle; retaining their interest is equally crucial.
 
 
5. Relentless perseverance
 
In the realm of recruitment, talent and skill can only carry you so far. What truly separates the elite from the rest is a determination to persevere in the face of adversity.
 
This is where the number of searches per role becomes a critical indicator of a recruiter's resilience. When faced with challenges, these sourcing partners don't retreat; they recalibrate their approach. A few unsuccessful searches don't deter them; instead, they analyse, adapt, and forge ahead.
 
Recruitment is an ever-evolving landscape, and adaptability is a cornerstone of success. Few things are more disheartening for in-house or outsourced recruiters than learning that a third-party agency filled a role that was within their grasp.
 
 

Creating your competitive advantage

 
Regardless of your position in the recruitment ecosystem, it's worth revisiting these fundamental elements that underpin our profession. Even in a world of cutting-edge tools, self-awareness and constant refinement of these core behaviors are the true catalysts for success.
 
These behaviors not only elevate the sourcing partner's role but also empower organisations to tap into their full talent potential.
 
Enhance your search for skills with our world class sourcing expertise. Contact the team at Enterprise Solutions to explore how we can elevate your talent strategy .

 

AUTHORS

Aleksander Koziel, Global Recruitment Segment Team Leader

Aleksander joined Hays in 2016 and has since then has held a wide range of SME and leadership positions within sourcing and niche talent acquisition.
 
He is currently responsible for developing the global sourcing strategy for one of our largest RPO clients.
 
Aleksander’s wealth of experience in sourcing across multiple regions equips him well to tackle his client’s biggest challenges and attract talent from all over the world - from Tokyo to San Diego.

 

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