How To Choose A Great Leader: The DNA Conundrum

One of the enigmas in life is the understanding of DNA. 

Three letters that have confused many around the world for centuries and perhaps the most difficult to decipher! Not many know the full form and not many understand the body and mind mechanism, and clearly not everyone can understand how it works! 

While we were to understand that DNA is behind everything- do we really understand people’s DNA?

One the key areas that Talent Acquisition Heads and Executive Search Partners explore is the DNA of the candidate and look for matches with the organisation’s DNA.

 We often talk of successful leader’s DNA.

DNA is not what their accomplishments are!

That’s the impact or effect of the DNA. That’s their CV!

So, what causes these leaders to be successful?  It’s really about looking at the other side of these successful leaders!  

What drives them?

What makes them do what they do?

What they like or dislike and why?

What are their fears?

What keeps them excited every morning?

What is their level of empathy or spirituality?

What makes them different? 

These are some of the questions that give us a glimpse of their DNA ! 

In senior leadership hiring, DNA certainly becomes a key criterion! 

We find that it is not easy to understand someone’s DNA . That’s why there is only around 60% success rate in matching an organization with a candidate’s DNA. As for the 40%, why is it that head-hunters get it wrong so often? 

Reading the DNA is a tough job! 

So how do you discover a DNA? 

Organisation DNA, for example, is surely not easy for many to share and understand. There have been many articles written, studies conducted & models coined towards identifying the company DNA. Some say it’s a blend of culture and strategy, others say it’s a blend of the way you are organized and how information flows. 

Simply put, to define the DNA of an organization - we must start with looking around at the vision and values of the founders & key leaders. What problems did they want to solve? What was the purpose of their coming into being? Thereafter, a deeper dive into its strategic gameplan, values system and cultural thread comes into picture. 

An important element of an organization’s DNA, specifically in the current times when one is facing a historic pandemic and crisis all around, is the DNA of the leadership manoeuvring the organization in these times.   

This pandemic has made us think! 

It will also separate the men from the boys. Leadership will be absolutely Key! 

Leadership DNA in the current times, while akin to organization’s, calls for these unique traits – 

1. Patience: As the world around us is moving with the speed of light, leaders need to develop restraint and be able to influence the stakeholders in the ecosystem to assess long term impacts of key events, and not take knee-jerk decisions. With an average CEO span reducing, due to pressures of financial performance and shareholders’ returns, this core DNA trait will set inspirational leaders apart from others. 

2. Intuition: This trait will differentiate success from failure – leaders who are able to derive decisions with “Intuition Based Wisdom” will take their organizations ahead of the curve than merely managing the crisis of the pandemic for sustainability 

3. Agility: While this word has been a fad for many years, it has taken a significant position in the successful leader’s DNA construct in today’s times, as one has to balance patience with agility and this is a tough proposition. Leaders must have the agility to move fast and take advantage of the opportunities ahead of them through breaking classical formats. All this while using their intuition to not react on every event and possibility coming their way.

Any future Strategy must be aligned to the company’s own DNA as well as the marketplace.  The objectives have to tie in with how the company as a whole will behave under different circumstances. Any best practices or structures put together needs to be consistent with the DNA of the company. 

Finally DNA is not only restricted to people and organisations! 

Cities have a DNA of their own! Countries too, as we all know, have a certain DNA! Even such a diverse country like India has its own DNA! Indian people, no matter which part of India they come from, behave differently from people from other countries-even their neighbours! 

Understanding DNA is as much an Art as it is a Science. 

Understanding DNA is  to be like a Sherlock Holmes !

Like detectives, we have to not only read people and organisations well but we have to have our own tools and understanding. And surely it’s about how accurate and sharp your forensics are - that’s what will determine how good you are in matching people to organisations.

Like Richard Dawkins very nice put it - “DNA neither cares nor knows. DNA just is. And we dance to its music!”