Effective recruitment can sometimes be oversimplified to mean hiring a candidate who, on paper, matches specific competencies and skills. The broader picture, which often gets missed during the hiring process, is about whether a candidate can eventually become a valuable asset or leader in the organization.

Most employees come on board having met the criteria required for doing the job effectively. However, out of these employees, the number who scale the ranks to become thought leaders, change agents, and powerful leaders pale in comparison. How then can you identify potential candidates who are capable of growing and developing themselves but will also be adept at leading others with purpose within the organization?

Exceptionally Effective Communication

Effective communication skills go far above and beyond the ability to speak or articulate thoughts well. Communicating effectively is about how well you are able to convince and influence others with skill and diplomacy. It is also about knowing when to speak and being able to tailor communication styles to different levels of team members and different situations.

Another component of effective communication skills is the ability to get proactive in passing on relevant, time-bound or sensitive information to the right people at the right times with a keen sense of awareness of how this impacts the business. Also critical to effective communication skills is the ability to work well in a team by being a source of knowledge, information, and support for others.

Problem Solving Skills

One of the key skills that distinguish a great employee from the rest of the pack is the ability to problem-solve. Nobody enjoys dealing with a team member who constantly points out problems or reasons why ideas cannot work out without offering any type of constructive solution.

Problem-solving skills include:

• The ability to break down complex problems into simpler, easier-to-deal-with parts.
• The ability to figure out the people, resources, or processes required to resolve the specific problem.
• The ability to think outside of the box and also think fast on the feet.

Leadership

Leadership skills differ from management skills in the sense that the former is more about influence and power, while the latter relates to the management of people, processes, and technology to achieve specific goals.

Leadership is, however, a learnable skill. Here are some ways that leaders distinguish themselves from other team members:

• They are willing to take ownership and take charge of a situation. You won’t find leaders backing away from a challenge or expecting others to step in to save the team.
• They are able to manage people, processes, and resources, seemingly effortlessly, to achieve specific objectives.
• They are genuinely likable. True leaders emit confidence with humility and are popular for being “real” and trustworthy.

Recruiters can make a genuine difference in the quality of long-term hires by considering these characteristics in a candidate, in addition to the skills required for a particular job.

A coach can help you to create a strategy for finding and identifying candidates who are suitable for leadership roles or create a plan for grooming leaders in your organization.