Executive Recruiting: 5 Traits Any Good Leader Should Have

What makes a good executive? There are many important qualities, but key among them is the ability to understand, motivate, and inspire a diverse team. A talented executive also has superb communication skills, so they can express their ideas effectively to both subordinates and upper management. They must be customer-focused, which requires that they can view the company from the perspective of its clients.

A top executive must also be able to adapt to unexpected business challenges and have a strategic vision for the organization, based on data and a deep knowledge of the industry and market trends.

Learn how these key abilities, which are all considered “soft skills,” contribute to making an executive a formidable leader. 

When it comes to finding top talent to lead your team to sustainable success, CulverCareers are premier executive and sales recruiters with a proven track record. Learn more about our unsurpassed executive recruiting services.

The 5 Most Important Traits for Successful Leaders

These key characteristics of exceptional leaders are all considered soft skills, which are often more difficult to quantify as they can only be seen in real-world scenarios. These personal attributes, qualities, and behaviors can be learned, just like hard skills, and for professionals leading a team—especially a sales team—they’re extremely important. 

1. Excellent Communication

An expert communicator must be highly adept at verbal communication, nonverbal communication, written communication, and visual communication. The top skills are active listening, friendliness, confidence, sharing feedback, empathy, respect, responsiveness, volume and tone, and the ability to adapt one’s communication style to fit the situation. 

2. Customer-Focused Mindset

You know the old slogan, “The customer is always right.” Having a customer-focused mindset goes beyond that. The executive’s actions prioritize the needs of their customers. In the sales department, this means listening carefully to customers and considering them in every decision.

3. Adaptability

This soft skill indicates the executive’s ability to adapt and adjust strategies to changing circumstances. Today’s workplace can be highly unpredictable, which is why this is an essential skill. The person who has this ability can quickly pivot according to company process updates, customer demands, or changes in business priorities.

4. Data-Driven Strategic Vision

A data-driven strategist knows how to analyze data to guide business decisions, priorities, and goals. They use advanced tools to help drive the company’s innovation and enhance its decision-making. They’re able to inspire stakeholders to buy into their vision and work together toward a shared objective. A data-driven mentality relies on data analysis rather than intuition and emotions.

5. Coaching Talent

An executive who can teach workers, help them overcome obstacles, and lead the team toward greater achievement is a very valuable person in an organization. They’re also able to mentor new team members. It is all about developing a team and unlocking employee potential.

Salesperson vs Sales Leader

What’s the difference between a good salesperson and a good sales manager? While both need to be strong communicators, salespeople are focused on their own prospects, trying to generate sales, while managers must be able to see the big picture, which requires greater critical thinking and analytical skills. Sales executives must oversee multiple sales pipelines from different sales reps. They’re the ones who put processes in place and measure their team’s productivity. They also need to get everyone on the same page to successfully execute strategies and reach revenue targets.  

How Can I Attract Effective High-Level Execs for my Team?

The best way to bring in top executive leadership for your company is to create a great job description, promote your organization’s values and culture, and offer a competitive compensation package. But that’s just the beginning. You’ll also know where to look. Rather than spending a lot of time and ending up with a load of resumes from candidates who aren’t right for your business, you should consider working with an executive recruitment firm.   

Partner with CulverCareers to Hire Premier Sales Executives 

Award-winning CulverCareers offers executive recruiting services for critical sales positions and more. With over 30 years of experience and an extensive network of executive talent, we are uniquely qualified to help you find the perfect individual to lead your team. 
Find qualified executive-level talent faster and easier than ever by teaming up with Culver Careers, one of the nation’s top-ranked recruitment firms.