5 Ways to Find Natural Leaders for Your Team

There’s the age-old adage in business that, as the owner, you should look to employ people who are better than you at specific tasks and disciplines.

This extends to leadership. And that might sound a little odd; you’re the big boss, after all - why on earth would you employ people who could technically unseat you at some stage?

That’s a rather insular mindset, unfortunately. Because if you find people who are natural leaders, they’ll slot effortlessly into your team and encourage those around them to do their absolute best work for the company.

Here’s how to find natural-born leaders, without resorting to tired interview techniques.

1. Signs of high emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is highly desirable in business. Someone who possess high levels of the stuff will be a great team player because they’ll know when others need help, when to dip out of a situation, and exactly how to interact with people under difficult circumstances.

Selfless people who are empathic will become some of the most trusted, productive and - crucially - liked members of your team.

2. Brilliant communication skills

Ask most business experts what the key to success is, and they’ll almost certainly mention ‘communication.’

Bad communication can kill a business - it’s that critical. Natural-born leaders are capable of brilliant communication in any form. But most crucially, they know how and when to use specific types of communication in order to get their point across (or allow others to do so) most effectively.

3. Big potential

When you go on a recruitment drive, it’s easy to fall into the trap of only looking for people who display high levels of current performance.

Their ability now is of course important, but in order to find the best leaders for your team you need to focus more on their potential.

Current expertise can quickly become outdated in this fast-moving world. This is why potential outweighs performance in almost every instance. If someone tells you they will work tirelessly to improve their knowledge and skill set, you’re probably onto a good thing.

4. Doers, not watchers

The people who make things happen rather than simply observe are the people who will lead both themselves and their colleagues.

Watching is important; it enables us to assess situations and devise plans to overcome barriers in business. But if you don’t act on the thoughts you have while watching, you’ll quickly sink without trace in the team. And that really isn’t leadership in any form.

5. Accountability

We all mess up occasionally; it’s how we learn, improve, and ensure we don’t mess up a second time.

The employees who hold themselves accountable for their mistakes or misjudgements are often the best leaders. People who shy away from responsibility or point the finger of blame elsewhere are the exact opposite.

Which type of individual would you want in your business?

Wrapping up

Still worried about walking into your office one day and finding your best employee leaning back in your chair?

Didn’t think so. Go find those leaders and build a team that will take your business onto the next level!