A few days ago I was in an assignment briefing:
The client presented me with an excellent requirements profile. Industry experience, span of control, track record, everything neatly written down.
After 30 minutes it became clear to both of us: the paper still described the past, not the future of the organisation in which the candidate is meant to make an impact.
In my years in executive search this actually happens to me quite often, especially in complex transformations:
A profile can be as precise as you like. If the strategic question behind it is framed wrongly, even the most accurate search will lead unerringly to the wrong person.
My approach in critical situations:
I almost never start with the role or the CV.
I start with the 12-month perspective:
1_ Which 2 or 3 priorities in the business need to change measurably over the next 12 to 18 months? (value creation, turnaround, scaling)
2_ Which leadership profile, which personality, can move exactly this lever?
3_ And only then: which hard facts does the candidate need to bring?
This takes a little more time in the initial sparring. In the end it saves the advisory board, CEO or investor months of mis-hires and six-figure opportunity costs.
A briefing should not be a catalogue of past skills, but the translation of a business challenge into leadership. Especially when it comes to “special situations” such as turnaround, carve-out, transformation, restructuring, value creation and so on.
Andreas Christl
Managing Partner
TALENTspy Executive Search for Special Situations
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