Selecting New IT Leaders

Computerworld - One of the great privileges and responsibilities of leadership is identifying and training the next generation of managers and leaders. Somewhere in between crisis management, contract negotiations, internal politics, status monitoring and your myriad other tasks, you should spend a few moments considering the future leadership of your organization.
Figuring out who has the potential to become a great leader or middle manager of IT is difficult. Given that leadership is one of those things that most of us can identify when it's put before us but find difficult to describe, it often seems impossible to predict an individual's prospects.
There are traits that can be predictors of success. But before we dive into what to look for, let's put to rest a few of the commonly used criteria that haven't yielded stellar results.
Education. Lots of great business leaders have put in time in MBA programs, but even a degree from Harvard or the Kellogg School (my alma mater) doesn't guarantee the right stuff. While important, understanding the mechanics and subtleties of business doesn't necessarily translate into leadership success.
Tech smarts. As believers in meritocracy, we're drawn to the idea that the person who best understands what's going on technically is best qualified to be in charge. Unfortunately, the skills needed in a leadership role are different from technical savvy -- and often don't reside in one person.
Bossiness. The natural desire to be in charge doesn't necessarily predict whether someone will be a good leader in a technical environment. The hierarchical top-down approach tends to be fragile when it comes to creative work. Those with the built-in desire to command frequently run smack into the brick wall of technical staff intelligence and intransigence.
So, which traits are better predictors of who will make great leaders?
Emotional flexibility. We talk a lot about being a good leader, but what about becoming one?
Great leaders start out somewhere else and have to move into leadership roles. Becoming a leader poses transitional challenges that can be met only with emotional flexibility. One of the great challenges for a new manager is to transform his view of himself, to change how he measures himself and his success. Early life and career work is judged by personal productivity. In school, we're judged by the quality and quantity of our papers, tests and quizzes. Young workers are judged by the quality, quantity and speed of task completion. Our self-images become tied to our personal productivity.

Moving into management requires a fundamental shift in how