Finding the Next Generation of Great Leaders

How can a company or industry find the best managers? What should hiring managers be looking for in the next generation of leaders?

This is an important question, since I believe many hiring managers are looking for the wrong characteristics in potential leaders. Too often, hiring happens based on traditional credentials, such as the right university or a series of promotions. These are all good things, but they do not signal the special spark that indicates a new and bold leader on the rise.

When something truly remarkable happens at a company, often it is a not the traditional kind of leadership at the helm. Industrial Bank of Japan, which was originally the main bank of Nissan Motors sent managers over to Nissan and tried to reform it, but nothing worked. And then the more controversial Carlos Ghosn was hired as CEO, and Nissan completely turned around. The same can be said about Apple. When the company brought back Steve Jobs, it was at the brink of death, but as CEO, Jobs succeeded at a remarkable revival.

The next generation of great leaders will not emerge from the traditional ranks, but they will be the individuals who use bold tactics – managers who have a track record of creativity and revival. This is what we should be looking for in our next generation of managers.

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