As an executive in the mortgage industry, I am
often asked how I approach the process of finding and retaining outstanding leaders within my
organization. The answer is a complex one, because there is no surefire “one size fits all” approach to developing a talented leadership team
within a company. It’s an ever-evolving process
that involves many changes along the way.
That being said, if you are a leader in the mortgage lending industry who
has the responsibility of finding exceptional leaders for your organization, one of
the most basic questions you should ask yourself is, “Which leadership qualities
or characteristics are most important to my organization?” These may include
some of the following:
• Superior communication skills
• Honesty and integrity
• Confidence
• The ability to inspire and motivate others
• Adaptability to change
• A sense of humor
• The ability to be firm yet fair
• Can effectively turn a negative situation into a positive one
• Shows empathy
• Is passionate and driven
• Possesses a strong sense of accomplishment
• Commitment to a desire to succeed
• Intuition
• Patient, yet maintains a sense of urgency
• A well-rounded individual
• Ability to think outside of the box –
strong problem solving abilities
• A good role model
• Holds team members and their peers accountable
• Can make effective decisions
Of course, this is simply a starting point. Once you consider the qualities listed
above, jot down a few of additional characteristics that you believe are important
in a leader. Another essential question to consider is how these qualities fit with
your company’s culture. Workplace culture is key to a business’s success and main-
taining a healthy team environment.
