There are certain leadership traits and business skills that allow leaders to excel and propel their organizations to success.
To determine these characteristics, a team of researchers at Development Dimensions International analyzed the real behaviors of 243 CEO candidates representing 48 companies as they participated in one- or two-day simulation tests. The researchers then benchmarked them against the entire database of over 15,000 job candidates.
Here are five findings from DDI's report, called "High-Resolution Leadership."
1. CEO candidates are intensely competitive, confident and emotionally resilient. They also "crave the limelight." CEO candidates scored 10 percent higher on these personality traits than all other executives.
Personality is a "vital factor in leadership success," according to the report. In addition to the traits named above, researchers found leaders across all levels who were ambitious and possess high interpersonal sensitivity demonstrated a better ability to manage transitions as they moved up the ranks. Leaders who transition most easily are more likely to shed limiting personality traits, such as volatility, perfectionism, arrogance or risk aversion.
2. Candidates for the top job are passionate about getting results, decision making and driving execution. "We found that leaders who are successful enough to be considered for a CEO position are unlike others in the way they are able to stay laser focused on outcomes and demand specifics on how results will be achieved," said Evan Sinar, PhD, chief scientist at DDI and the study's lead author.
3. They were also especially talented in quickly evaluating complex business situations and focusing on customer needs.
4. There are three areas in which CEO candidates seemed to consistently fall short, according to the report. The first one is overlooking talent as a priority. The second is failing to serve as an inspirational leader, and third is a tendency to default to the short-term. "We observed that CEO candidates often make so-called strategic plans that are not very strategic at all. They may solve operational dilemmas, but few generate effective, long-range growth strategies and so meaningful organizational change is rare," said Dr. Sinar.
5. Only five percent of the CEOs in the U.S. are women and only 24 percent of high-potential leaders in the U.S. are women, according to the report. Although there were more male candidates in the research database, the findings show no significant difference between men and women in their leadership skills or ability to handle management and business challenges.
"While the glass ceiling for women hasn't shattered yet, our research shows that both genders can and should be good leaders at every level in the organization," said Richard S. Wellins, PhD, DDI senior vice president.