How to identify and hire great managers and leaders

Strong managers and leaders influence everything from team morale to business performance. Yet hiring the right ones is not straightforward. Technical experience alone is not enough. Effective leadership requires communication, accountability, decision-making, and alignment with business goals. The challenge for employers is knowing what to look for, and how to tell leadership and management apart during the hiring process.

Research commissioned by Speakers Corner shows that 91% of UK businesses struggle with recruiting and retaining skilled employees. This highlights the difficulty of finding the right fit for roles that shape an organisation's future.

Define what you need

The hiring process starts with clarity. Leaders must reflect company values and deliver the outcomes the role demands. These could include

• driving performance
• leading change
• managing risk
• growing a team
• improving collaboration across teams

Outline what success looks like before starting your search. This will help you focus your assessment on ability, not only experience.

Managers vs leaders: the difference when recruiting

It’s easy to confuse management with leadership. Both are essential, but they need different strengths and serve different purposes.

Recruiting for management means finding someone who can

• run established systems
• keep teams on track
• deliver outcomes consistently
• oversee day-to-day operations
• enforce process and policy

Recruiting for leadership involves finding someone who can

• set direction
• inspire others
• deliver long-term growth
• drive long-term vision
• influence culture and mindset

Both roles support performance, but in different ways. Management prioritises stability and risk mitigation. Leadership involves innovation, influence, and driving change through people.

Prioritise leadership behaviours

Good leadership is often behavioural. Look for evidence of:

• delegation
• team development
• decision-making under pressure

Candidates should also show

• they can listen
• support others
• remain composed when expectations shift

Use structured interviews to explore how a candidate led teams. Ask questions that give insight into how someone leads. For example:

• Tell us how you handled a team setback.
• Describe a decision that didn’t go to plan.
• What approach did you take to develop someone in your team?

Prioritise management behaviours

Strong management is grounded in how someone handles processes, priorities, and people. Look for evidence of:

• organising workflows
• managing time and resources
• maintaining performance under pressure

Candidates should also show they can

• implement systems
• resolve issues well
• keep teams aligned with daily goals

Use interviews to explore how a candidate manages. Ask questions that reveal their approach to structure and delivery. For example:

• How do you manage competing priorities in your team?
• Tell us about a time you had to improve a process.
• How do you ensure consistency and accountability across tasks?

When assessing candidates, consider if they have received formal management training or if you might need to offer it once they are onboard. One significant factor contributing to the high failure rate of managers is the lack of management training. According to a Chartered Management Institute (CMI) study, 82% of UK managers enter their roles without any formal training in management and leadership.

Look for commercial awareness

Managers and leaders need more than people skills. They need to understand how business functions connect, and how their actions impact results. Assess their approach to:

• setting KPIs
• interpreting performance data
• aligning team goals with wider strategy

Commercial awareness helps leaders prioritise what matters and allocate time and resources.

Assess cultural fit

Teams thrive under leaders and managers who align with the environment they are joining. Hiring managers and interviewers should consider how a candidate fits into the existing team and workplace. It’s not only about personality. It’s about values, communication, and approach. Ask how they build trust, handle differences, or manage underperformance.

Use different assessment methods

CVs and interviews can only go so far. Include tasks such as

• strategy planning
• team feedback exercises
• stakeholder presentations

This gives hiring managers more insight into how a candidate operates. Peer interviews can also support hiring decisions, especially when a leader will manage other high performers.

Understanding top talent

Top talent goes beyond technical skills. Key soft skills include:

• Intrinsic motivation: Top performers are driven by a growth mindset. They exhibit curiosity, autonomy, and resourcefulness.
• Perseverance: They can navigate uncertainty and adapt to challenges.
• Reliability: Organised and detail-orientated, strong leaders and managers meet deadlines and deliver quality work.

Develop a solid hiring process

HR and talent acquisition teams should develop a solid hiring process to secure top talent.

Write a strong job description
The job description is the first step in attracting the right candidate. Focus on your company’s purpose and culture, detailing the role’s responsibilities and skills.

Have a robust interview process
An effective interview process involves creating an evaluation system, asking unique questions, and using sample assignments. Structured questions like "Tell us about a time you disagreed with the majority of your team" give insight into how candidates think and adapt.

Use a specialist recruitment firm

Hiring strong leaders and managers is easier with a specialist recruitment firm. They can identify top talent and ensure a good fit for your business. With offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and London, Meraki Talent specialise in recruiting and placing skilled professionals.

Focus on long-term impact

Think beyond the first six months. Strong leaders support growth, help retention, and build capability. When assessing candidates, consider their impact over time. Have they

• improved team performance?
• built trust?
• made good decisions under pressure?
• developed others or mentored talent?
• contributed to long-term business goals?

Developing leaders from within

While external recruitment brings fresh perspectives, developing leaders from within supports retention and long-term growth. Identifying high-potential employees early and providing them with the right development opportunities and training helps build a leadership pipeline. Internal progression boosts morale, reduces hiring costs, and preserves business knowledge. For many firms, balancing external hiring with internal leadership development is key to sustaining performance.

Hiring the right leader or manager is more than filling a vacancy. It shapes the experience of everyone they manage. Getting it right takes time, clarity, and the right approach.