5 Things to Look Out for in a Business Executive

Hiring the right executive can help catapult your business forward and impact your bottom line. The role of the business executive varies depending on the organisation but there are some underlying traits that every executive should possess. We have created a list of the top five things you should look out for when hiring a new executive:

Communication skills

This is a key skill that every executive search firm looks for in their candidates. They should be highly developed communicators both verbally and written with the ability to communicate to all levels particularly senior level. As part of the role, the business executive will be required to interact with a wide variety of individuals from different departments and also with people from outside the organization so they need to be able to adapt their tone and language to each audience. The business executive will also be required to make presentations and take part in board meetings so they need to have bags of confidence.

Ability to inspire and motivate those around them

Executive recruiters look for candidates who are self-motivated and also possess the ability to inspire and motivate those around them. As well as results, and the all-important bottom line, a good business executive will also boost staff morale which will ultimately lead to higher productivity. As Andrew Carnegie would say “there is little success where there is little laughter.”

Negotiation skills

The business executive should also possess the ability to build positive relationships and negotiate with a variety of individuals and achieve objectives through these relationships.

Strategic thinking

The role of the business executive varies depending on the organization but almost certainly they will be expected to set more effective strategies. Therefore, the executive needs to be a strategic thinker who can see the big picture and understand the specific paths that will lead there. They should be able to act on the big and small picture at the same time – helping the organization achieve long-term growth and sustainability while delivering short-term goals.

Commercial acumen

Another thing that you should look for in a business executive, and something an executive search firm will lookout for is commercial acumen. It’s important that they have an awareness of how their role and department impacts the wider organisation and the external forces that affect the business.

When recruiting for a business executive you need to make sure they tick all the right boxes, which is why some companies benefit from enlisting the help of professional executive recruiters who can find the right candidate for you. They can develop a clear understanding of what you need and connect you with the right person who’s going to be able to live up to that expectation.

A business executive plays a vital role in the organisation so the stakes are high. It’s essentially a leadership role – get it right and the results can be amazing but get it wrong and it can have a catastrophic effect on the entire organization and your bottom line.