At RecruiTerra, we believe great leaders are not defined by technical skills alone. They stand out because of the human qualities that help them thrive when the world around them changes overnight.

In this series, Leadership Framework in Focus, we are unpacking the five qualities we look for to help our clients find leaders who do not just fill a seat but move the mission forward in a complex and evolving environment.

We begin with one of the most critical qualities: resilience and agility.

Why Resilience and Agility Matter More Than Ever

In sustainable finance and impact investing, change is constant. New ESG frameworks, change of board, shifting stakeholder expectations…. all these pressures can test even the best teams.

Leaders with resilience and agility do not just survive this complexity. They help teams navigate it with confidence and purpose. They stay calm under pressure, adapt constructively when things do not go as planned, and keep momentum when others might freeze.

Being resilient means bouncing back from setbacks with clarity and focus. Being agile means embracing new information, letting go of what is no longer working, and shifting direction without losing sight of the bigger goal.

What It Looks Like in Practice

Resilience and agility are not skills you will find in a CV bullet point. They show up in how people talk about their toughest moments.

We listen closely to stories about obstacles and recovery. Did the candidate face a setback that forced them to rethink an approach? Did they take responsibility, ask for help when needed, or blame others? Did they find a path forward that kept the team engaged?

In one recent search for a sustainability leader, a candidate described how they managed an unexpected regulatory overhaul that threatened a critical deadline. Instead of freezing or passing blame, they pulled in external advisors, reorganized the internal project team, and delivered a new process in record time. The result was a regulatory filing that not only met the new requirements but set a higher standard for the rest of the organization.

These are the moments that show what a CV cannot.

Signals We Look For

We look for real life evidence that a leader can adapt and recover without losing the trust of those around them. Some examples include:

• When faced with a failed project or shifting goalposts, do they see it as a learning opportunity?
• Do they talk openly about asking for input instead of pretending they have all the answers?
• Can they describe a moment when they kept a team motivated through uncertainty?
• Do they share examples where they stepped into a role or challenge they had never handled before?

One revealing moment is how they handle the question “Tell us about a time when things did not go to plan.” A generic answer says little. The real signal is when they show how they stayed steady and found new options.

Resilience and agility show up in the small details: how someone reacts to discomfort, how they balance decisiveness with flexibility, and how they bring others along during change.

The Soft Skills That Resilient Leaders Bring

Resilient and agile leaders rarely operate in isolation. The way they adapt and recover connects with other qualities we look for. They often show soft skills like adaptability, courage, self regulation and a genuine growth mindset. These are the building blocks for staying grounded in uncertainty.

These leaders also tend to draw on other strengths. They show self awareness, integrity and emotional intelligence which keep them anchored to their purpose. They use systems thinking, curiosity and good judgment to see the bigger picture instead of getting stuck in one problem. They rely on empathy, humility and clear communication to keep people engaged and relationships strong.

When we listen for these qualities, we look for all these skills working together. It is never just about staying calm. It is about how someone uses reflection, openness and foresight to help a team move forward through complexity.

Why This Matters for Sustainability and Impact Teams

Leaders with resilience and agility reduce risk in unpredictable environments. They help teams navigate changes without panic. They keep partners, clients and stakeholders engaged when new challenges come up.

In the end, these qualities do not just help an individual succeed. They help build cultures that can handle complexity and keep moving forward when it matters most.