Edward R. Murrow the noted news journalist once commented, “Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts.”
In a world that is all about outcomes, and even with a rigorous process, why is it that a newly selected leader turns out to be “fool’s gold?”
Over the years, we have interviewed thousands of leaders in virtually every industry segment, and covering every dimension, scale, et al. Name a sector and we’ve conducted searches and interviewed its leaders.
As much as business has evolved, some things hardly ever change.
In fact, the “common benchmarks” of selecting CEOs remain:
- A track record of results via increasingly important responsibilities.
- Clarifying strategic complexity and requiring judgment to resolve matters effectively and efficiently…solutions oriented/getting things done via a business structure and model.
- Recognizing the import of stakeholders, including employees, customers, vendors, and shareholders, and how each must be engaged and respected.
These qualifications, however essential, are just part of the puzzle, i.e., the “starting point” in evaluating whether a candidate will be successful, recognizing that not all leaders, however qualified experientially and culturally, pass the muster under all conditions.
So, what is the missing link?
We know it is not solely education, nor prior economic condition, that drives future professional success. Certainly these are contributing factors. If these, in addition to prior experience, were the only common factors of successful leadership, individuals such as Bernie Marcus, the founder of The Home Depot, Larry Ellison of Oracle, Lloyd Blankfein of Goldman, to name a few, would have not succeeded.
We believe that the “secret sauce,” and the best way to evaluating fitness for value creation, consists of relevant experience along with an examination of the candidate’s passion for success, and perseverance honed through adversity.
Every successful leader faced difficulties, false starts, and failure during their lives. To not lose their passion, addressing challenges head on, and to hone judgment while pressing forward are the hallmarks of truly successful leaders. They believe in themselves and their work even when the odds are against them, and when rationality suggests a different path.
Simply, leadership is shaped by adversity. Those that achieve premier value have had their knuckles rapped more than once. The outcomes of these “learning experiences” are predictors of how leaders will act when challenged.
Where would we be today without Steve Job’s vision, passion, and perseverance.
Without this depth of understanding, presenting any candidate, no matter how qualified on paper, is risky and likely to prove “fools gold.”
Rarely, in our view, are true leaders battle tested via success. The reaction to failure is the greatest measurement of leadership ability.
We welcome your thoughts and comments.
About us…The Koblentz Group is a global executive and board of director search firm specializing in recruiting senior leaders and corporate directors. Over the past 30 years, its Partners have successfully conducted several hundred “sensitive matter” board recruitments for public companies, investor owned and private concerns. The Firm serves its clients worldwide.