Some executives are gifted leaders, they can transform a business from a small unknown entity into a major global organisation.
A lot of research has taken place to try and identify the key characteristics that great leaders share.
What is it that makes them special?
➡️ Ultimately, the primary personality traits required for sustained career success are superior flexibility and responsiveness.
👉 What we like to call ― Professional Agility.
“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change” ― Albert Einstein
Professional Agility: Explained
Most studies suggest — and as experienced headhunters we certainly agree — top leaders are individuals that can adjust quickly and efficiently.
They change and edit their behavior based on:
1) Current market conditions
2) The people they are dealing with
3) The challenges they face
In other words, great executives do not stand still — they continually evolve.
This is the core of Professional Agility.
Therefore, to succeed, leaders must not fear change but instead prepare for it and welcome innovation.
Todays technology focused business environment is incredibly complex.
Things are continually moving, leaders can not rely on traditional strategies that worked in the past.
Great executives are always looking forward, thinking about what’s next, and how to adjust accordingly.
Successful companies benefit from senior leaders that enjoy change and can turn uncertainty into opportunity.
Leaders that are professionally agile proactively seek out new and unfamiliar experiences.
From this they learn and can apply their new found knowledge to the next unknown situation faced.
Therefore, the ability to learn quickly, embrace change and adjust efficiently helps executives know what to do when — and outperform their peers.
Ultimately, they can handle the unfamiliar in a confident manner.
Many studies show that these personality traits are far more indicative of executive success potential than the traditional focus on intelligence and education.
For instance, flexible and responsive learners usually see faster, sustained career development, compared to those who resist change or fail to learn from past mistakes.
Some executives will have strong and successful starts to their careers but then fall into the trap of over-relying on past solutions.
They will continue to use old ways for new problems. They stop learning and adapting, stop editing for the new… they become “stagnant”.
To become – and sustain oneself – as a top class leader, a professional needs to keep their hunger for learning.
Above all, they must stay restless for new challenges and embrace change.
How to Assess Professional Agility: 5 Key Items
1. Mental Agility:
How comfortable is the person when handling a complex situation?
For instance, can they quickly identify a problem and move onto solutions based on the unique circumstances at hand?
2. People Agility:
Is the executive talented and skilled in communication?
For example, do they adjust their style and words to be able to work effectively with a diverse range of people?
3. Change Agility:
Does the person like change and welcome it as a challenge?
Similarly, do they see it as a motivator for personal development?
Do they have a history of experimenting, when old ways do not work to find new solutions?
4. Results Agility:
Can the person still deliver success when dealing with new / unknown situations?
In other words, do they have a track record for handling the unknown and achieving results in the process?
5. Self-Analysis Agility:
Is the person able to analyse themselves and identify both their strengths and weaknesses?
After that, knowing their weaknesses, are they willing to adjust and edit in a bid to turn such weaknesses into strengths?
Conclusion
The global business environment is increasingly complicated.
Above all, technology — especially Artificial Intelligence — is changing the traditional landscape in a way never seen before.
Therefore, for a company to succeed it requires leaders who are highly flexible and responsive.
People that are fast to adapt and able to develop strategies to accommodate quickly evolving circumstances.
Businesses need leaders who are Professionally Agile.
It is essential that organisations identify professionals that possess these rare characteristics.
After that groom and develop such people, as these individuals will help to ensure a successful future.
Companies that have leaders who are able to adjust, edit and evolve – survive and thrive.
Businesses that have leaders reliant on past strategies, in an ever changing landscape – stagnate and fail.
ProCapita Headhunter Indonesia: Join Our Professional Network
At ProCapita we recognise what makes top executives special.
We are always on the look-out for these game-changing individuals for our clients.
For experienced candidates that would like to join our professional network of 450,000+ executives in Indonesia:
➡️ Please confidentially Submit Your CV here.
We shall reach out to you whenever working on any relevant client hiring opportunity.
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