Out of the box thinking is a common trait in every ET Young Leaders badge holder

MUMBAI: Confidence, high energy, risk-taking aptitude, ability to think out of the box and willingness to go the distance were some of the traits top India Inc captains looked for in young talent who earned the ET Young Leaders badge in the past four years.

The other thing CEOs looked for was the reason the candidates wanted to be part of the programme and if they were part of it, what would they use the platform for. Pramit Jhaveri, CEO, Citi India, focused on the intangible qualities of a manager, looking for someone who was well-rounded, multidimensional, and having the softer aspects. "I also looked for what I would describe as nonwork or non-profession-related elements of life, that eventually contribute to leadership," Jhaveri said after interviewing candidates last year.

Rajan Anandan, vice president Southeast Asia and India for Google, tested candidates by throwing them into difficult hypothetical workplace situations. His idea was to select those candidates who were versatile in all kinds of difficult situations and could easily lead from the front.

Among the attributes Roopa Kudva, managing director, Omidyar Network India Advisors, valued in the people she selected included empathy, ambition, determination and the ability to identify and get to the core issues quickly.