2. Credibility

An ability to navigate sticky client situations gracefully and to rise above internal politics on behalf of the greater corporate good is also a must.

"If you're a leader, especially in the channel, you have to have those multidimensional skills," said Dan Sytsma, senior vice president of U.S. sales, Logicalis. "There has to be an ability to handle indirect relationships that are critical in the business."

This is especially true for management candidates promoted from within, who might need to convince former peers they deserve their new title: so it's a good idea to test out someone's leadership potential by creating informal "player-coach" relationships that encourage senior sales personnel to mentor those with less experience.

"Once you see how the person performs in that role, you are dealing with a proven commodity," Sytsma said.