Executive search best practices: What are the qualities and skills of effective leaders?

In my recent whitepaper I explored effective leadership: https://www.weareams.com/stories/an-essential-guide-to-hiring-the-best-leaders-for-culture-and-growth/ 

I wanted to continue the conversation, effective leadership is not a one-size-fits-all concept; it is deeply context-dependent and varies based on the challenges an organization faces and its overarching goals. While this is a commonly acknowledged notion in leadership theory, it is not always practised in reality. 

Many businesses and hiring teams conform to biases or established norms, seeking leaders who fit predefined moulds or possess specific experiences and pedigrees. Recognizing that no single leadership approach works universally allows organizations to better identify and cultivate the leadership styles best suited for their unique challenges and strategic objectives. 

To help illustrate this, I explore some leadership traits and contexts to which they are best suited.

Vision

What does it look like?

A leader must have a short, medium and/or long-term picture of the future in mind that is both clear and compelling. It will ideally also be inspirational, realistic and well-articulated. To bring a vision to life, the leader needs to analyze, plan, set goals, make informed decisions, execute and adapt. In other words, vision without strategy is a destination without a direction. 

When is it needed?

Many would justifiably argue that all organizations need vision from leadership, but under what circumstances may this need be greatest? One instance is a vision-driven organization. Not all organizations are, or need to be, driven by a strong vision; some are simply in need of clarity around aligning their products or services with their capabilities and market. 

An organization demanding leaders capable of delivering vision would include, a start-up still lacking a defined statement which captures its ambition and future goals. In the case of an entrepreneurial, dynamic and evolving culture such as this one, it is paramount that a leader is masterful at big-picture thinking and tailoring a vision to guide a company’s growth, translating abstract ideas into actionable strategies for business success, and crucially aligning and inspiring teams to drive in the same direction.

“Sub-visions” for specific functions and areas are likely to be required as the start-up grows and evolves, in turn requiring inspiring functional leaders. 

Case Study: Vision and Innovation – BioNTech

In early 2020, BioNTech, a small German biotech led by Özlem Türeci and Uğur Şahin, exemplified visionary leadership by delivering the first US-approved COVID-19 vaccine. Key to their success were vision, agility and a culture of experimentation. CEO Şahin swiftly shifted BioNTech’s focus from cancer vaccines to COVID-19, securing Board approval within hours. He spent the weekend designing vaccine candidates, demonstrating rapid adaptability. [2]

Türeci and Şahin fostered a disciplined, high-urgency culture under “Project Lightspeed,” with employees working around the clock. By February 2020, they had 20 vaccine candidates, later narrowed to four, partnering with Pfizer. In November, BioNTech and Pfizer announced a vaccine with 95% efficacy—just 10 months after their decisive shift.

This rapid success stemmed from visionary leadership and a disciplined, risk-embracing culture, achieving a breakthrough in global health.

Integrity and Humility

What does it look like?

A 2022 Niagara Institute survey conducted across 48 countries (Fig. 1) asked respondents what their greatest leadership strength was. In first place came “leading by example” and in close second, “collaborating with employees when making a decision.” The first of these emblematizes integrity, while the second has humility at its core. Over half of the responses therefore suggest a commitment from leaders to profoundly influence organizational culture by fostering trust and mutual respect. 

When is it needed?

An organization urgently requiring leadership with humility and integrity is one undergoing turnaround. A change of leadership is prevalent in turnaround literature, with Charles W. Hofer, for example, suggesting in his article “Turnaround Strategies” that it is in fact a prerequisite for most successful turnarounds. Leaders entering to drive the abrupt and often painful change that is required to ensure an organization’s survival must not only be coercive in their implementation of new measures; they must inspire trust. 

Turnaround leaders must rebuild credibility with a variety of stakeholders, with company employees as an essential part of guiding an organization through recovery. According to Mayer’s model of dyadic trust , ability, benevolence and integrity are key factors of perceived—and ultimately subjective—levels of trustworthiness. 

Humility is a leadership trait necessary for turnaround success not merely for the trustworthiness it may foster, but also because humble leaders are likely to be open to contributions and feedback from others; this kind of learning from past mistakes takes a vital role in informing company reorientation.

Empowerment and Development

What does it look like?

While the development and potential of leaders is important, how they empower and develop others is essential for nurturing a motivated and high-performing workforce. This looks like team mentorship, delegating responsibilities, offering growth opportunities, granting autonomy in decision-making, empowering employees to take ownership, developing new skills and confidently driving innovation.

When is it needed?

A business scenario particularly in need of leadership that promotes empowerment and delegation is that of global expansion, especially organic expansion (as opposed to through M&A, which requires a more integration-focussed approach).

When a business expands internationally, be it through establishing new offices or launching products in new markets, empowering local teams allows them to adapt strategies to align with regional markets. Delegation means that local leaders and teams can capitalize quickly on regional opportunities, rather than centralized decision-making slowing down processes and potentially diverging from local market needs. 

In this case, regional business success contributes to overall business success, which has clearly traceable roots in the cultural impact of central leadership.

Resilience and Adaptability

What does it look like?

In times of disruptive change—regulatory changes, supply chain disruptions, a global pandemic—resilience, as both an intrinsic quality and as a skill, is indispensable. A US Navy SEAL axiom says: “If knocked down, I will get back up every time. I am never out of the fight.” As Brent Gleeson notes, this is tough to apply to a civilian setting.  For business teams, resilience does not simply arise through collective belief, and business model transformation and innovation likewise do not just appear from the aether in times of major change. These things happen because they are “envisioned and unlocked by resilient leaders […] who thrive in the face of challenges posed by adversity.” 

When is it needed?

While leaders and teams may inherently cultivate a certain resilience over time, the real difference with resilient and adaptable leadership—and, by extension, teams—is the resolute intentionality of grit and willingness to adapt when needed in times of disruption. The outcome of this attitude is the swift navigation of change, the seizing of opportunity, and the maintenance of operational continuity; when these pillars are upright and intact, a business is in a strong position to outperform competitors during challenging times.

Case Study: Resilience and Transformation – Whitney Wolfe Herd

Whitney Wolfe Herd, former CEO of Bumble, exemplifies resilience and transformational leadership. After facing harassment at Tinder, she turned adversity into opportunity, launching Bumble in 2014 as a dating app that empowers women to make the first move. This mission reflected her own strength and commitment to creating a more inclusive space. [6]

Wolfe Herd’s leadership inspired her team to build a healthier, more equitable platform, extending her values to a predominantly female workforce with policies supporting flexibility and wellbeing. In 2023, as Bumble adapted to AI, Wolfe Herd stepped down as CEO, appointing Lidiane Jones while staying on as executive chair, ensuring Bumble’s commitment to gender equality and empowerment continued. 

While effective leadership is context-dependent and varies with an organization’s unique challenges and goals, many businesses still struggle to embrace flexibility, continuing to seek leaders who fit rigid templates or specific credentials. This limits their ability to adapt to evolving needs. 

This is where the right executive search partner becomes invaluable, providing an objective perspective that cuts through biases and considers all key factors. 

As a trusted advisor, AMS Executive Search helps our partners see the bigger picture, identifying leaders who align with strategic goals and can navigate challenges effectively. This ensures businesses are equipped with adaptable, forward-thinking leaders who drive success.