In every interview of candidates and applicants for a management or supervisory position, you should evaluate those candidates on six leadership characteristics. Overall, each candidate is rated, on a scale of one to five, on each characteristic.
1: Integrity
We were reminded of the importance of integrity by the accounting scandals of the early 2000s. Today, we still see CEOs resigning because of tax fraud, pre-dated stock options and other behaviour which can wipe out value built over a lifetime in a few days. You must emphasise the importance of checking the integrity of candidates through interviews, as well as through the reference and due diligence process.
Key questions and issues to consider:
- Does the candidate recognise the rights and expectations of shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers and the wider community relative to his or her career and compensation? How would he/she handle trade-offs?
- Will he/she do the right thing in preference to the easy or expedient thing?
- Has he/she the independent judgment of moral issues to question advisors such as accountants, bankers and lawyers on matters of integrity?
Honesty -- Keeping promises, being straightforward, respecting the law and regulations, declaring any conflicts of interest, and having a strong sense of right and wrong without preaching or being judgmental.
Reputation -- Concern for his/her own reputation as well as that of the corporation, recognising that a strong reputation is hard won and easily lost.
2: Problem Analysis and Solving
Proficiency is indicated by such accomplishments as involvement in turnaround situations; penetration of a new market; successful handling of a start-up situation, or design of a successful course of action to deal with problems.
Judgment -- A record of constructive job changes; success of executives or employees promoted; skill in budgeting; ability to stay on a career path with few lateral moves and ability to make significant policy decisions.
Key questions and issues to consider:
- Does the candidate grasp the source, nature and key dimensions of a problem?
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Does he/she reach appropriate conclusions from available information?
3: Communication Skills
Key questions and issues to consider:
- How effective is the candidate in person-to-person discussion and expression in small group situations?
- How well does he/she listen and extract relevant information?
- Does he/she express ideas to others with poise, relevance, persuasiveness and clarity?
- How well can a candidate write?
Dialogue Skills -- Appointment as a group leader; representation of a unit or the company; success in negotiations/training of subordinates; successful avoidance of pseudo-technical vocabulary.
Listening Skills -- Corrects remarks, indicating he / she has listened; goes to others for advice; asks sensible questions and summarises discussion or statements made.
Presentation Skills -- Success as a teacher or trainer, often a speaker to large groups; member of speaker's bureau in a civic activity. Measure the effectiveness of his/ her communication during the interview. Intercultural Skills -- Success in previous interactions with people of different gender orientation, religion and cultures.
4: Motivation
Key questions and issues to consider:
- Is he/she a self-starter, prepared to initiate?
- How much directed, sustained energy can the candidate bring to bear in accomplishing objectives?
- Does this person function in a controlled, effective manner under stress?
- Is there the resilience to manage in a crisis?
- Does the candidate set high standards and express a determination to see tasks done well?
Initiative -- Getting the company involved in new products; working successfully on commissions; starting his/her own business or division, initiating projects, going to college at night; dissatisfaction with status quo; using innovative methods and making constructive organisational changes.
Drive -- Rapid advancement; involvement in outside affairs; success in meeting goals in a Management by Objectives (MBO) program; determination to exceed goals; ability to handle multiple assignments well and put in long, productive hours.
Reaction to Pressure -- Maintains composure during interview; functions effectively in crisis situation; maintains good human relations and meets imposed deadlines.
Commitment to Excellence -- Has an outstanding academic record; frequent reference to high standards and a desire to do the job better than anyone else.
Orientation Toward Achievement -- Goals achieved; recognition attained; honours bestowed; competitions won.
5: Interpersonal Skills
Key questions and issues to consider:
- Does the candidate direct or support the behaviour of others toward achievement of common goals by charisma, insight or assertion of will?
- Does he/she demonstrate due consideration to the needs and feelings of others?
- Does the candidate create a positive impression of self-assurance, which gains recognition and commands respect?
Leadership -- In past positions, a strong track record of ability to direct a large staff; head up a task force; develop subordinates.
Sensitivity -- Rate of turnover among subordinates chosen personally vs. turnover among subordinates not chosen personally; relationship with people he/she has fired; reference to others in interview; demonstrated understanding of people's needs and sensitivity to social considerations.
Impact -- Personal impact during interview; representation of the company in public; work as a sales leader or consultant; considers arising problems as personal challenges.
6: Execution
For most hiring managers this is the overriding competence required.
Key questions on which the candidate should be evaluated are:
- Does he/she anticipate situations and problems and prepare in advance to cope with them?
- Is there an ability to establish priorities and coordinate activities?
- Can the candidate assign work and responsibility effectively, and follow up on progress?
- Has the candidate consistently delivered results throughout his/her career?
- Does the candidate get things done?
Planning and Organisation -- Preparation and organisation for interview; setting up a new department; holding a planning position; successful non-crisis handling of a dynamic job; ability to prepare budgets, marketing plans, etc.
Delegation -- Developed a strong organisation; delegates authority to others; holds regular meetings with subordinates; refers to accomplishments of others; is not swamped with details in present position; is able to define duties of subordinates.
Delivery -- Results generated to a timetable; action taken to remove blockages.
Did the candidate lead or participate in getting the results?
Author: Tom Sorensen is a Partner at Boyden Thailand, a global Top 10 executive search firm. Contact tsorensen@boyden.com and learn more on www.boyden.co.th
Series Editor: Christopher F. Bruton, Executive Director, Dataconsult Ltd, chris@dataconsult.co.th. Dataconsult's Thailand Regional Forum provides seminars and extensive documentation to update business on future trends in Thailand and in the Mekong Region.
