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Identifying Tomorrow’s Leaders Today: Determining the Differences that Matter has facilitated the employee acquisition, promotion and retention process by laying out key traits that distinguish potential leaders.
The results were drawn from responses of more than 100 emerging leaders in Australia, which were then compared to those of more than 160,000 professionals and 700 C-Suite Leaders from Hudson’s global database.
Simon Moylan, Hudson’s executive general manager of talent management in Asia Pacific, says the survey provided interesting insights that may be at odds with popular thought.
Hudson’s review suggests emerging leaders are the workplace’s introspective extraverts – strong interpersonally but also equipped to handle abstract thought.
“What our research shows is that emerging leaders, while they tend to be extraverted, aren’t necessarily interested in socialising with their colleagues,” says Moylan.
“They are much more focused on driving results and are comfortable working independently.
“They’re not looking to build friendships, they’re looking to lead – and are confident in doing so.”
Hudson has directed advice to companies about attracting and managing tomorrow’s leaders, congruent with other reports such as Hays' released earlier this week.
Emerging leaders are reported to be interested in working for companies that have a “clear proactive focus”.
Based on comparison with C-Suite leaders, emerging leaders appear to be more traditional in their business approach, taking greater time in making decisions with complex information and handling unfamiliar situations.
Therefore, employers have been advised to adopt a more participative leadership style to provide a platform for employees to develop their leadership potential.
Hudson reports that the right coaching will encourage the development of the conceptual thinking, decision making ability, and relational and intercultural sensitivity necessary for a capable leader of tomorrow.
Hudson’s tips to employers for fostering talent:
- Clear criteria to assist the identification of ‘likely’ emerging leaders, established by the company’s management or executive board.
- Paths for growth to keep emerging leaders on their growth trajectory and ensure they don’t stray.
- Bring in talent management professionals who use measurement and tracking techniques to gauge potential leaders among staff.
- Have development programs in place where employees can be actively groomed for senior roles
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