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Are you recruiting new team members for your company? Do you want to hire employees who will remain with your firm for the long-term? An excellent way to pick winners instead of ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ employees is to screen for leadership skills during the interview process. Be on the lookout for the following five leadership attributes when hiring new staff.

Courage

Is your potential hire courageous enough to be proactive? If you want new hires you can someday promote to senior positions, you’ll want to understand their decision-making skills. Ask interview questions that help you decide whether they’re more likely to wait to be told what to do or they’re likely to take initiative. A potential leadership candidate knows when to ask permission and when to offer solutions.

Communication

The interview process is an excellent time to decipher a potential hire’s communication modus operandi. Is your candidate spending an inordinate amount of time tooting their own horn or are they using the opportunity to uncover details about your company? A skilled leader will listen intently and ask intelligent questions based upon what they’ve just heard.

Conviction

Does that candidate you are interviewing hold their ground when questioned during the recruitment process? If you want to hire an employee you can eventually promote into a managerial position, you’ll want someone who doesn’t just ‘go with the flow’. A leader knows how to take a position on an issue and intelligently defend their thinking. If your candidate is quick to alter their position on a subject, they might make a better follower than a leader.

Conscience

Along with conviction, a strong leader knows when to be accountable for their actions. Screen candidates to see who easily deflects blame and who steps up to take responsibility (both good and bad). Potential hires who understand the power of accountability can often be some of your most steadfast employees. A willingness to act according to their conscience is usually a clear sign your candidate also possesses above-average decision-making skills too.

Credit

Likeable leaders are the first to share the credit for achievements. Does your interviewee spend too much time taking credit for their successes or do they attribute their achievements to strong mentors? Attune yourself to listen for warning signs of blowhards. A candidate who knows when to give credit to others just might have excellent leadership potential.

If you want to hire candidates who remain loyal and are likely to help you grow your company, it is important to screen for leadership traits at an early stage. Knowing how to spot those ‘diamonds in the rough’ can significantly improve your hire/fire ratio. Will you be screening for courage, communication, conviction, conscience, and credit skills the next time you hire a new team member?

At SCR , we can help you find the experienced energy sector talent you need.  We supply talent throughout the world, and we can find you the people you need for your organization or your next project. Contact us today!

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