Does leadership potential come down to character, intellect, interests, all of the above—or is there a secret ingredient that’s harder to define?

It can be difficult to predict who will make a great future leader but to develop a strong leadership succession plan, you need to start by identifying future leaders who have the mindset needed to grow your business.

Here are five key characteristics that predict a person’s suitability for leadership—and they might surprise you. These characteristics will help you identify leaders who will help your business grow. 

Tolerance for Ambiguity and Courage

Comfort operating in the grey and amidst constant change, and the courage to make tough choices without all the information are key to being a successful leader. 

Empathy

A successful leader is someone who can share their vision and communicate it well because they are in tune with other people and perspectives. They can bring everyone together to inspire and engage the team to drive results and growth. 

Curiosity

What if…? That’s the important question a leader should always be asking. If they are not able to ask questions, have no curiosity about what is possible, and are not open to other ways of doing things, change and business growth is almost impossible.

Trust

Trust is a two-way street. While the team must trust their leader, it is just as crucial that the leader trusts the team at all levels of the business. They need to be willing to empower their team to make the right decisions, come up with solutions, and care about the organization.

Adaptability

Adaptability is a key attribute of agility and it's displayed in how a leader addresses tough business challenges. Those who admit they felt out of their depth at one time, but went on to investigate, asked questions, and listened, are leaders with the potential to drive a business forward. 

How Can You Support Future Leaders?

Opportunity is key. Once you identify people who have high aptitude and capability, you need to give them experiences that are going to turn them into growth-led future leaders.

Not sure where to start? We can help.

At South End Partners, our Toronto executive recruiters work with large and small organizations across industries to help them find the right leaders for the right opportunities using an objective, data driven approach.

We also provide comprehensive HR consulting services including onboarding support, interview coaching and training, and strategies to develop your superstar teams.

Reach out to find out how we can help you today!