According to a recent study, the three top traits displayed by successful leaders are ambition, ability to adjust and a consistent quest for learning – and it is possible to cultivate these personal qualities if they are not naturally present.
JvR Africa Group conducted the research, in partnership with Jack Hammer, and tested a range of traits of 4,442 people across various employment levels, including executives, middle managers, entry-level supervisors and individual contributors.
The objective of the study was to identify trends among different groups of employees taking into account gender, age, generation and job levels and provide these insights to professionals climbing the corporate ladder, as well as companies seeking to optimise leadership.
“One of the fascinating insights from the research is indisputable data around the primary characteristics or traits that top leaders display. For anyone wondering why they are not getting ahead, we found some clear answers,” says Debbie Goodman-Bhyat, leadership expert and CEO of Jack Hammer.
“Executives are clearly more ambitious than people at other job levels. They are also more confident, and exhibit a natural orientation towards constant learning and, while this may sound obvious, it is not because it invites the question whether these traits can be cultivated if they are not naturally present.”
Fortunately, for those who are not blessed with the three leadership traits as part of their innate disposition, an interrogation of the findings shows that these personal qualities can be developed.