College Sports Information Directors of America

A strong moral compass can give high-potential managers a leg up the career ladder, a new Robert Half Management Resources survey suggests.

One-third (33 percent) of chief financial officers interviewed said that, other than technical or functional expertise, integrity is what they look for most when grooming future leaders. "History has shown time and time again the importance of ethics in business — even a single lapse in judgment by one employee can significantly affect a company's reputation and its bottom line," said Paul McDonald, senior executive director at Robert Half. "Leaders who are principled and forthright inspire this same behavior in their teams, creating a culture in which integrity is a core value."

Interpersonal and communication skills also ranked high, cited by 28 percent of respondents. CFOs were asked, "Other than technical or functional expertise, which one of the following traits do you look for most when grooming future leaders at your organization?" Their responses:

• Integrity 33%
• Interpersonal/communication skills 28%
• Initiative 15%
• Ability to motivate others 12%
• Business savvy 10%
• Other/don't know 2%

McDonald pointed out that communication skills also are requisite as executives take on greater responsibility. "Especially during difficult periods, managers must be able to promote open, two-way communication with their teams," he said. "Executives in companies that have moved successfully through the downturn understand the importance of listening intently to feedback from employees and are always on the lookout for this skill in potential leaders."

The survey was developed by Robert Half Management Resources, a provider of senior-level accounting and finance professionals on a project and interim basis. It was conducted by an independent research firm and includes responses from more than 1,400 CFOs from a stratified random sample of U.S. companies with 20 or more employees.