Discover the qualities that set top-tier leaders apart, including prompt responsiveness, the importance of anticipation, and the power of eye contact. Learn about the significance of agility and stretching for success, the value of a solver mentality, and the habit of self-awareness. The episode also discusses automated responses, sponsorships, and promoting the book 'Be The Unicorn'.
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Quick takeaways
Being fast in responding to others is a key habit of unicorn leaders, significantly improving meaningful conversations.
Agility and adaptability are crucial traits of unicorn leaders, enabling them to thrive in an ever-changing environment.
Unicorn leaders prioritize problem-solving skills, focusing on actionable solutions rather than dwelling on the problem itself.
Deep dives
Unicorn Leaders Possess Unique Qualities
William Vanderblumen, the founder of an executive search firm, shares his insights from conducting thousands of interviews with top-tier candidates. He identifies 12 data-driven habits that separate the best leaders, or unicorns, from the rest. These habits include being fast in responding to others, demonstrating agility and adaptability, having a solver mentality, practicing self-awareness, anticipating future trends, and establishing likability through genuine interest in others. Vanderblumen emphasizes that these habits can be learned and developed, enabling individuals to stand out in their careers and enhance relationships outside of work.
The Importance of Responsiveness
The habit of being fast or responsive in communication is a distinguishing feature of unicorn leaders. Vanderblumen highlights the significance of promptly getting back to people, which is a habit that most individuals lack. He cites examples of companies that excel in responsiveness, noting that getting back to individuals within 60 seconds of their communication increases the chances of meaningful conversation significantly. Vanderblumen also suggests the importance of discerning which communication requires immediate attention and intentionally responding to those opportunities.
The Value of Agility in Leadership
Agility is a crucial habit exhibited by unicorn leaders. Vanderblumen explains that agile leaders are flexible, adaptable, and constantly seeking opportunities to grow and learn. He emphasizes the importance of being proactive and staying ahead of challenges by anticipating future trends and changes. Vanderblumen illustrates how an agile mindset helps individuals thrive in an ever-changing environment, including the ability to pivot during times of uncertainty, such as the pandemic.
Solvers and Problem-Solving Skills
The ability to solve problems is a habit seen in unicorn leaders. Vanderblumen highlights the significance of problem-solving skills and the value of having a mindset focused on finding solutions rather than dwelling on the problem itself. He shares anecdotes that emphasize the importance of shifting the focus from problems to actionable solutions and provides examples of unicorns who display this habit in various contexts.
The Power of Likability
Likability is a distinguishing trait of unicorn leaders that goes beyond popularity. Vanderblumen explains that likability is rooted in genuine interest in others and the ability to shift the conversation toward the other person. He highlights the importance of making real eye contact, showing curiosity, and actively engaging with others. Vanderblumen emphasizes that likability enhances relationships and positively impacts interactions in various settings.
For the last 15 years, William Vanderbloemen has run an executive search firm that helps non-profit organizations find leaders. Over the course of conducting tens of thousands of interviews with top-tier candidates, he's tracked and recorded what qualities the best leaders — the people he calls "unicorns" — possess that set them apart from everyone else in the field.
William shares what he's learned in his new book Be the Unicorn: 12 Data-Driven Habits That Separate the Best Leaders from the Rest. Today we talk about what some of those twelve distinguishing habits are, and how people can use them to move ahead at work, as well as improve their relationships outside of it. We discuss the nearly 100% difference it can make in your business to respond to people right away, the least common trait among unicorns that the general population mistakenly believes they have in spades, how mastering the art of anticipation will make you stand out, a way to use eye contact to build strong connection, and much more.