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Challenges of C-Level leadership for business transformation

Carlos Eduardo Staut | Aug. 1, 2023

Business transformation requires highly skilled C-level leaders aligned with the organisation's strategic vision. Identifying the ideal profile of these leaders is a crucial challenge. It is necessary to look for professionals with solid leadership experience, proven innovation capacity, analytical skills and systemic business vision and who possess flexibility and adaptability to deal with a constantly changing business environment.

Soft skills needed for C-Level leaders

C-level leaders need to go beyond technical skills and develop essential soft skills to meet business transformation challenges. Empathy, clear and persuasive communication skills, resilience and emotional intelligence are examples of must-have soft skills. These competencies enable leaders to inspire and engage their teams during times of change.

Business transformation is not only about strategy and numbers, it also involves people and human interactions within the organisation. Let's explore some of them in detail:

Empathy and Communication: C-Level leaders with high empathy have the ability to understand the needs, concerns and aspirations of their employees. This ability allows them to drive change processes sensitively, considering the impact on people and maintaining team motivation. Clear and persuasive communication is key to conveying the company's strategic vision and ensuring the alignment of all members of the organization.

Emotional Intelligence: Refers to the ability to perceive, understand and manage emotions, both those inherent to oneself and those of other individuals. Emotional Intelligence also encompasses establishing and maintaining healthy and productive relationships based on empathy and assertive communication. Leaders with high Emotional Intelligence are more likely to deal positively with the challenges of business transformation, fostering a more harmonious and inspiring work environment for their teams. C-Level leaders with high emotional intelligence are able to stay calm under pressure, make rational decisions and inspire confidence in their teams, even in times of uncertainty.

Resilience and Flexibility: Business transformation can involve unexpected challenges and obstacles. Resilient leaders do not crumble in the face of adversity, learn from failures and adapt quickly to change. Flexibility is also essential to deal with volatile scenarios and find innovative solutions to problems.

Holistic and Strategic View: C-Level leaders need to have a holistic view of business, understanding how each part fits into the whole and how decisions in one area affect others. They must have a strategic perspective, anticipate market trends, identify growth opportunities and set long-term goals for the company.

C-Level leader identification tools

The process of recruiting and selecting C-level leaders is a critical step in successful business transformation. Companies must adopt a strategic and thorough approach, considering the particularities of each leadership position. It is essential to seek professionals who are aligned with the organisational culture and who possess the right set of skills to drive transformation.

The recruitment and selection process of C-level leaders is a complex step that must be conducted with precision and strict criteria. Let us detail some strategies and tools that can be employed:

•           Competency Mapping: Before starting the selection process, it is essential that the company conducts a detailed mapping of the competencies and skills required for the leadership position in question. This includes both sector-specific technical skills and the desired soft skills.

•         Assessment Centres and Behavioural Interviews: The use of assessment centres is an effective tool to assess candidates' competencies in simulated situations of everyday corporate life. Behavioural interviews are essential to analyse how candidates deal with challenges, solve problems and behave in different scenarios.

•         Previous Results Analysis: Assessing candidates' professional history is crucial to identify their past achievements, how they faced changing situations and what results they obtained. This provides a clear insight into the potential of C-Level leaders to drive business transformation.

•           Partnership with Specialised Consultancies: Recruiting C-level leaders requires expertise and access to a wide network of qualified professionals and partnering with specialised executive recruitment consultancies is an efficient approach to find the best candidates available in the market.

With an approach focused on the soft skills needed and a careful selection of C-level leaders, companies will be better prepared to face the challenges of business transformation.

Selecting the right profile

To meet the challenges of business transformation and ensure that C-level leaders are chosen appropriately, partnering with a company specialised in human capital is essential.

In today's interconnected world, the value of local knowledge cannot be overstated. At Kestria, our clients continue to trust us with their most critical hiring decisions, drawn to our depth of expertise forged through decades of professional experience and unwavering trust. 

Beyond a hiring process, our relationship with clients endures, fostered by the dedication and commitment of our expert consultants specialising in leadership positions across diverse functions and industries. From sourcing CFOs for prominent investment firms to discovering skilled marketing executives for emerging fashion brands in the ever-changing retail landscape, Kestria is your steadfast partner, ensuring you find the perfect match for your organisation. When it comes to finding exceptional talent, let local knowledge be your compass, and let Kestria be the beacon that leads you to success.

Carlos Eduardo Staut

Insights Blog

Fluent in finding leaders
www.kestria.com