Nine skills every executive must have

...and I’m not talking about ‘Motivation’, ‘Direction’, ‘Vision’, and all that blather; more the things that just come easy to some folk, but which we can all emulate just the same.

By all means preach the merits of ‘Core strategic axis’ and ‘global platforms’ but hey, do you want to know a secret? a) You should be a black belt at this stuff already and b) no one really cares about your strategic interplanetary focus - If you really want to make your career sing then you must master these skills and live by them. It’s a lucky country and people are really quite straightforward on the whole so hit them with your rhythm stick and the luck will brush off on you.

1. Commitment

This is really just keeping your word or in fancy parlance ‘Doing the thing you said you would do, long after the moment in which you said it has left you. It’s no secret that people gravitate towards ‘doers’; whether from a desire to emulate or just being part of a team, keeping your word is amongst the simplest of ways to garner a reputation and gain respect – or not.

Nothing demotivates and demoralises staff more than listening to (management) saying one thing, only to watch as that person ignores their own rhetoric and in turn their ability to influence and motivate is diminished. As our word is probably the only real power any of us are equipped with on an equitable basis, your ability to deliver on things said is paramount as a responsible executive. Get a reputation for keeping your word.

2. Punctuality

The lack of which constitutes one of life’s deadly sins. Not because you are late per se, but because the unspoken downside is that you had something better to do. Tardiness is time crime, please don’t steal mine as I’ll not get it back. And as for those for whom seniority represents the opportunity to keep people waiting, I have a message for you: ‘The response to your request will be actioned with an enthusiasm commensurate to the time you kept me waiting.

The flip side to this is the early bird or someone who arrives way ahead of schedule in the mistaken belief that it equates to enthusiasm. I know, it sounds like you can’t win but when in doubt the 5 minute rule applies for interviews / meetings / going on dates or what have you – any less and you’re pushing it, much more and you come over as a touch zealous. Be on time for your staff and they will do likewise.

3. Time

(Or the lack of) – A firm friend of cousin commitment, how many times have you heard (insert felonious individual) say ‘I don’t have the time’. Now this is odd as when I last checked most folk were dealt with evenly in this regard so if anyone says ‘I don’t have time’, what they REALLY mean is ‘you aren’t a priority’.
Prioritise, do the hardest job first and you’ll have all the time you need.

4. Toilet training

Or doing the unpopular. As you ascend life’s corporate ladder; so comes responsibility and the likelihood of unpleasant tasks cropping up that were definitely not in the position description. If you see these things as an opportunity (and they are) then be brave and go clean that dog poo off the floor that the courier brought in. You just gained major brownie points and after doing THAT, you can ask people to do pretty much anything for you. Lead by example and don’t shirk the dirty work.

5. What’s in a name?

Names are crucial, it’s impossible to underestimate the importance of addressing people by their (correct) name. Coming from a senior executive it says to the person ‘ah, so you know my name then – wonder what else you know about me? The chief role for any manager is to help staff develop and be the best they can be – and it all starts with a name. Learn everyone’s name in your office and use them.

6. When in doubt….be nice

We’ve all done stuff which may not be intentionally bad, but we’re not proud of all the same. More often than not you pay for it somehow. Giving / getting a reprimand is often expected but an opportunity to make amends is better. I once left all the used cars unlocked at a dealership I worked at (about 120 or so) and the scene I faced next morning when about half the radio’s had been stolen was of the ‘please let me be swallowed whole’ variety.

However instead of legal action / sacking / humungous roasting; My DP said ‘Paul, I have a lot of insurance paperwork to do as a result of this, I’m going to have to ask for your help in completing them’

After falling at (her) feet and behaving in a suitably sycophantic manner, I took them all home and knocked them off that night, then I went back and sold most of the cars in a blaze of activity. Then I got promoted and promised myself I’d be nice to the next person who messed up…. Lack of confidence manifests itself in over aggressive behaviour; professionals just seek solutions.

7. The Crisis Manager

Or how anyone can look good in a crisis. It’s keeping your head in day to day life that marks out winners. Managers are leaders, and leaders are looked up to for a variety of obvious reasons. What is not openly discussed (but much debated) is the mental stability of the guy or gal that’s running the show; are they up one minute and down the next? Inscrutable or telegraphing their emotions to all and sundry?

Having young children, I often think it would be fun to throw myself to the floor and bang my head around a bit as a measure of my feelings towards xyz. But I don’t wish to alert the men in white coats so making like a graceful swan is preferable to the screeching ballistic monkey.  Grace under pressure is the mark of a leader.

8. Manners maketh man

And yes, I do mean MAN as women are usually more polite and respectful. This is all about ‘mirror imaging’ or treating people as you would wish to be treated. The mental amnesia adopted by some people when faced with the moral dilemma of communication versus silence generates a crisis of confidence that devalues all the good stuff that may have preceded it.

Reaching out and then being ignored makes you feel short changed and yet every time I call a candidate with less than good news I’m often humbled by the gratitude that this small act dispenses. Knowing the right thing to do and then not doing it is cowardice.

9. I can see clearly now

Have a clear vision and stick to it. We are all blessed with instinct and it is a measure of one’s confidence how we learn to listen to it. Successful people simply make more good decisions than bad ones as they learn to trust their own judgement. The more activity you engage in, the more experience you gain and thus mastery of your subject is achieved as your confidence grows.

The career value of trusted mentors cannot be underestimated, both to add dimension and scope to your thinking but also to reinforce your instinct and judgement. Two men looked out through prison bars; one saw mud the other saw stars…

Paul Grindrod is a partner at Courland International -- a global executive search practice that specialises in the automotive sector, providing a single source of exceptional people, advice and ideas to help automotive business thrive.