Rethinking Who’s Ready: Why the Best Leaders May Come from Unexpected Places

1. Watch for Leaders Who’ve Made a Lateral Leap—and Thrived

One of the most underappreciated indicators of executive potential today is the successful lateral move, the kind that doesn’t follow a standard playbook. Whether it’s a shift across industries, a pivot into a new function, or a leap from entrepreneurial chaos into corporate scale, these transitions demand more than ambition. They require fast learning, cultural adaptability, stakeholder re-mapping, and the ability to perform without the comfort of domain credibility. 

Spot Leaders Who Thrive in Lateral Leaps
A key indicator of executive potential is the successful lateral move, shifting across industries, functions, or from startups to corporate. These transitions demand fast learning, cultural adaptability, and performance without prior domain credibility. In volatile times, leaders who reset and deliver in unfamiliar settings outshine those with linear careers. Don’t misread lateral moves as detours; they build resilience and trust in new ecosystems.

For boards and CEOs, reframe succession filters. Instead of “Have they done this role?”, ask: 

• Have they succeeded when the rules shifted? 
• Can they adapt to new logic and execute quickly? 
• Do they show judgment in unfamiliar contexts? 
• Do they act decisively in uncertainty? 

Have they built credibility without obvious authority?

To assess, dig beyond résumés. Examine the move’s challenges: scale of unfamiliarity, constraints faced, and speed of credibility-building. Seek specifics: What did they change? How did they gain trust? Look for early traction and cultural bridging—proof they thrive, not just survive, in new terrain. 

2. Seek Leaders with Creative Intelligence-

In rebuilding processes and embracing volatility, the edge lies in leaders who blend rigor with originality, solving with structure while thinking beyond it. Creative intelligence isn’t about loud brainstorming; it’s leaders who overhaul untouchable legacy systems, craft novel customer solutions, or redesign operations with cross-functional input. They challenge assumptions to unlock value, balancing efficiency, risk, and scale.

For boards and CEOs, spotting this early is key. Ask: 

• Where have they reimagined rather than optimized?
• Have they challenged a legacy process and owned the outcome?
• Do their successes show bold reinvention or safe delivery? 
• Can they experiment within compliance without causing chaos?

Have they solved constraints creatively when budgets fell short?

To evaluate, go beyond results. Probe how they conceived solutions and what assumptions they broke. Look for creation under constraint, not just delivery in abundance. Seek leaders who use frameworks, not rigid plans, delivering unexpected solutions with measurable impact.

3. Test for Identity Range, Not Just Role Mastery 

Executive shortlists often prioritize domain expertise, but complexity demands range—not in titles, but in identity. These leaders flex across modes: builder and stabilizer, strategist and empath, challenger and integrator. They navigate opposing forces—delivering clarity through contrast, conflict, and constraint—maintaining alignment under pressure. Their versatility, earned through diverse experiences, drives resilience.

To identify them, ask: 

• Have they led in both startup and scaled settings? 
• Can they balance empathy with tough calls? 
• Have they shaped culture in unfamiliar teams? 
• How do they handle tensions like speed versus quality? 

Under pressure, do they adapt or stay rigid?

To assess, probe for self-aware range. Did they evolve their style, or were they shaped by circumstance? High-range leaders reframe challenges, not just recover. They manage tensions, not just solve problems, moving fluently between perspectives while owning accountability. Look for coherence across contrasts to ensure credibility in shifting environments. 

4. Use Personal Brand as a Leadership Signal, Not a Cosmetic One

In transformation-driven settings, leaders must project clarity, conviction, and coherence to stakeholders: customers, regulators, investors, and employees. A leader’s personal brand isn’t about self-promotion; it’s their ability to articulate values, navigate ambiguity, and maintain presence under scrutiny. This strategic signal shines when the script vanishes, for instance during crises, earnings calls, or contentious town halls.

To spot this, ask: 

• How do they show up without a playbook? 
• Does their presence convey clarity or avoidance? 
• Have they influenced audiences beyond their control? 
• Do they own fragile messages or retreat to safety?

  Assess their narrative under pressure. Have them describe a decision against consensus: What was their rationale? How did they communicate it to diverse stakeholders? Did they lead or delegate the narrative? Seek examples of defending values-driven stances despite resistance. Do they simplify complexity or hold nuance with authority? Consistency across settings—rooted in alignment, not media training—reveals true leadership presence. 

  None of these strategies reinvent the idea of leadership. Many boards and CEOs will recognize elements they’ve applied instinctively or seen work in isolated cases. But instinct isn’t a system. The value here is in codifying what often goes unspoken: the kinds of signals that actually correlate with leadership under pressure but rarely make it into formal succession conversations. When treated as strategic filters, not post-facto observations, these four indicators can separate surface readiness from real depth. That’s where the edge is.