How to be recognised as a leader at work

Ambition, along with the ability to adjust to change and a commitment to learning, sets senior executives apart from other employees.

This is the finding of research by psychological testing company JvR Africa Group in partnership with executive search company Jack Hammer.

Jack Hammer CEO Debbie Goodman-Bhyat says: "Executives are clearly more ambitious than people at other job levels. They are also more confident, and exhibit a natural orientation towards constant learning."

She believes these character traits can be developed, and has the following advice for those aiming for the corner office:

• Stop making excuses and start learning. "Some people somehow always make the time to read business books, leadership journals and attend talks or conferences, no matter how busy they are. Others, regardless of what's on their plate, never do";

• Work on your social confidence. This is not easy for introverts, but you will need to put some effort into it. "Figure out strategies to remain calm under pressure, for instance, by incorporating mindfulness training into your dailylife, and working on your connection with people. This is a fear that can be faced and conquered"; and

• You may not be conventionally ambitious, but you can still be honest about your goals. Goodman-Bhyat says the difference in scores between men and women was consistent. "Women executives scored highest on their orientation towards constant learning ... while male execs score highest on ambition. This can be ascribed to the fact that many women execs expect they'll need to work harder to reach top levels, and will need to display evidence of intellect and abilities."