The one thing you need to do to succeed – according to top bosses
What makes someone stand out in a crowded workplace?
For some bosses, it’s less about having the perfect CV and more about the way you think, the questions you ask and whether you’re prepared to take a chance.
Six business founders and leaders share the qualities they notice most and the advice they would give to people trying to get ahead.
Don’t limit yourself
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Charlotte Tilbury says one of the biggest things that has driven her career is refusing to let other people set limits on what she can do.
“Nothing is impossible in life – it’s only your own limitations you give yourself.”
The beauty mogul says there will always be naysayers, and there were plenty of people who told her she was “mad” or that her ideas would not work but it’s important to ignore them.
Tilbury recommends trying not to think of setbacks as mistakes, but as opportunities to rethink and improve.
“I don’t think about mistakes, I think mistakes are opportunities,” she says.
Many of the biggest challenges she faced ultimately made her a stronger business leader and “challenge is opportunity and it leads you to greater places”.
Fake confidence
Charlie Bowes-Lyon, co-founder of deodorant brand Wild, says attitude matters far more than having the perfect set of skills.
“For me, it’s 90% attitude and 10% skills, as skills can be taught, attitude can’t.”
One thing he wishes he had realised earlier is that even successful people do not always feel as confident as they appear and “everyone is faking it until they’re making it”.
If you find yourself at a job interview, Bowes-Lyon says it’s really important to have a few questions at the end as “candidates who say they have no questions rarely get the job”.
One question he recommends asking the interviewer is what success in the job looks like.
Be curious
Marcia Kilgore
Marcia Kilgore, the serial entrepreneur behind brands including Beauty Pie and Soap and Glory, says curiosity is one of the main qualities she looks for when hiring.
She values people who will “roll their sleeves up, ask lots of questions and think about how they can be useful”.
Kilgore also says good communication is crucial as she realised early on in her career that a lack of communication is often the reason things break down.
Her advice to communicate well in the workplace is to “listen to what’s being asked and take a breath or five” before responding.
“Your response doesn’t have to be immediate, but it does have to be considered.”
Say yes to everything
Anabel Kindersley, CEO and co-owner of Neal’s Yard Remedies, says one of the best ways to build your skills is to keep saying yes to new opportunities.
“Do everything and say yes to everything – it might feel uncomfortable but do it anyway,” she says.
It is an approach that has shaped her own varied career, from working as a child actress to becoming an author and later moving into business.
She adds that honesty really matters and you should be truthful about your experience and confident in what you can offer.
When hiring, Kindersley says she looks for people with “equal EQ as IQ”, valuing emotional intelligence alongside ability.
Step outside your comfort zone
Charlie Nunn
Charlie Nunn, group chief executive of Lloyds Banking Group, says curiosity, resilience and an increasing willingness to think about how AI tools can also be used in the future are some of the skills he values most in his employees.
He also really puts an emphasis on hiring people who are good at working in a team as “at the heart of most jobs is the ability to work together in support of something much bigger”.
His advice for building experience is to take on opportunities that are outside your comfort zone.
Nunn says he was “terrified” about taking on retail roles earlier in his career, but found they gave him valuable experience.
“If something feels risky, try and do it as you’ll learn more from it and it’ll build breadth around your CV that you didn’t have previously.”
Use AI but don’t rely on it
James Reed, chairman and chief executive of recruitment company Reed, says one of the biggest mistakes people make is thinking about what an employer can do for you rather than what you can offer in return.
“The biggest mistake is thinking that the world owes you a living,” he says and instead suggests you should ask yourself: “How am I the solution to an employer?”
As AI is increasingly used in recruitment, Reed says applicants need to think about how their skills are being picked up by technology as well as by a person.
“Try and mirror the job description with your skills and experiences in your application,” he says, so that the match between what an employer is looking for and what you can offer is clear.
He describes AI as “a wonderful tool”, but says it should not replace your own judgement or voice – the aim is for it to strengthen an application rather than expect it to do the work for you.
