A great executive is a great leader—inspiring by example, valuing people, and ensuring values are carried out at every level of their organization, to name a few. Executives can have drive charisma and know-how, but these qualities set a great executive apart. These three qualities alone impact a company’s recruiting process.
A great executive not only gives the team direction, but doesn’t hesitate to roll up his sleeves and get his hands dirty. A great executive is someone who reached her position by hard work and ownership. It’s her sweat equity that positions her to lead others. The qualifier is “authority by example”. There is no greater way to lead, and no greater position to lead from than one’s personal example.
From our combined experience at IPS, we have worked with many executives over the years. Those who have earned their stripes walk by example, are willing to get down in the weeds, and put in the work alongside his/her team. These are the ones employees respect and follow.
In addition to leading by personal example, a great executive is someone who appreciates the team and people around him/her. They understand that without the right people on the team, an organization will suffer and be severely hindered in achieving its business plans.
When it comes to values, the greatest disconnect we see in corporate America is between well-written company values, and top leadership actually exemplifying these values and ensuring the work is being done to weave them into the fabric of the organization. In many cases these important values are just words on paper with no thoughtful plan for instilling them in every level of the organization. When this happens, culture deteriorates and employee engagement falters. A great executive holds a standard of the company’s values to him/herself first and foremost, and ensures they are upheld from top to bottom in the organization.
When an executive leads by example, they will embrace the recruitment process with an understanding that they need to be as involved in finding great talent as anyone. It’s not the HR team’s or recruiter’s sole responsibility—rather, the approach involves the full team to ensure everyone is “all in” with the recruitment effort. When an executive values the people … When an executive ensures company values are upheld …
When an executive is great, their leadership will be reflected in the people they hire and that build their company.