Human resource consultancy Hewitt Associates has just released its Top 25 Global Companies for Leaders 2009. Not surprisingly, some of the world’s largest and oldest companies are on the list – General Electric, Deere & Company, Cargill, Procter & Gamble and General Mill are just a few of the names that both your grandparents and even great grandparents grew up with. In explaining their leadership strategy, one common theme emerges. In good times and bad, these companies continue to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in developing leaders.
These leader builders are some of the largest employees in the world. From the very first interview, these smart companies are screening for leadership potential. How would you measure up among other potential leaders? Are you a manager or a leader? First, let’s look at how they differ. Managers are technicians and operational experts; their job is to get things done. Leaders are motivators and visionaries.
There are a number of common traits that human resource experts look for in leaders. A leader is committed to continuously learning and likes to take on challenges. Leader is a team player and good communicator. Importantly, a leader is not only guided by vision but also a moral compass that is pointed in the right direction. Leader is a person of integrity.
In your next interview, sell up the traits of a leader. The world’s most successful and sustainable companies invest in those who are born to lead.
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This is a good point yet few companies align their management trainee and leadership development programs. Instead, they look to hire some high flyer from the industry, often the competitor. There is a positive trend toward instilling leadership qualities in management training programs.
A lack of leadership is what brought down the major investment banks. The fact that these people could not lead once the market turned down tells us that they were riding on the coattails of a strong market.
We have a saying: the good captains are shown during a storm. Easy to be a ‘great leader’ in a boom. The real leaders show up during a crisis.
You have to walk a very fine line when selling up your leadership skills in a job interview for a much lower position. If you come across as overly ambitious, the interviewer may think you want his job.
This type of paranoid thinking is out dated in career counselling. Go into the interview and give it your best. Put forth all of your skills and attributes.