“I will either find a way, or make one”-Hannibal Barca

It’s a given that every client is seeking to recruit leaders that will deliver results…NOW!

We’ve all heard the leadership attributes that our clients seek… agility, resilience, humility, et al. No doubt these are important and necessary elements. Yet, in serving many clients over many years, each seeks their “vade mecum” …a “guiding light”… to “activate” these descriptors to achieve superior outcomes.

Three Essential “Guiding Light” Leadership Imperatives

1-It begins with a leader’s self-reflection and acknowledgement of knowing who they are and equally importantly, who they aren’t… their values, how they “earn” trust, an essential to winning now. Relying principally solely on past accomplishments, however notable, or on one’s reputation, for successful leadership forward is a mere starting point.

2-Secondly, how clearly a leader communicates consistently and openly about what is & isn’t at the top of the agenda… and, why…determines whether she/he will incorporate fully the critical linkage and alignment between priorities, strategies and operational leverage that is necessary to meet the crossroads of today’s challenges and future opportunities, as uncertain as they are maybe now.

3-Leaders who establish and ”live” Adaptable Cultural Persistence (ACP) unleash the power of their teams & accelerate value creation…. “THE” essential ingredient of a leader’s secret sauce…at the nexus of every action and decision from enterprise strategy to delivery execution. ACP engenders a collaborative results-driven culture that learns, adjusts, drives and thrives on gaining competitive advantage. It establishes bonds of mutual commitment and enhances trust to, and with, all relevant stakeholders based on organizational consistency, demonstrated by actions holding accountability at its core.

Simply, ACP wins.

As examples, consider the successful leaderships of Jamie Dimon of JP Morgan Chase, David Ricks of Eli Lilly, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, Ed Bastian of Delta Airlines or Home Depot’s Craig Menear …all CEOs from different sectors, competitive dynamics and experiential backgrounds. Yet, all share one commonality that truly defines their leadership and each’s company success…a unique APC that guides their organizations in making decisions and adjustments regardless of circumstances…ones that must be addressed & are important now… The curveballs of execution… some known and others not…while providing an inclusive organizational confidence in winning the future.

The Bottom Line

Culture wins out. In selecting the best qualified, be intentional about not becoming trapped nor enamored solely by a candidate’s credentials nor charm.

Nike and Starbucks are recent examples of companies that appointed CEOs that didn’t appreciate fully the DNA of the companies that they were tasked to lead and as a result, failed to meet expectations of their shareholders and broader stakeholders.

So, to avoid leadership gaps and traps, in recruiting leaders for our clients, here’s three consequential “fit factors” (among others) that we evaluate.

Does the candidate buy-in & recognize that;

*Leadership is an ACP-oriented responsibility & a continual work in process. For four decades, again and again, the lesson learned is that when leaders compromise cultural norms for short term outcomes, few survive. Their teams become confused if not deeply troubled & lose momentum trust, making it difficult to retain the quality of talent required to win.

*Communication via her/his actions with purpose and heart, effectively inculcate “our way” of working”, deeply ingraining the necessary values in & among their teams. Bernie Marcus spoke of Home Depot’s ACP focusses on taking care of the company’s associates knowing if they did, they would take care of their customers. Marcus even named their corporate headquarters, “The Store Support Center”.

*ACP’s enduring success requires not compromising in selecting senior leaders. It’s a delicate balance of stability and disruption that must be considered in recruiting “the best qualified” thereby assuring that your “investment” in your ACP pays off. Add only those leaders that see themselves as collaborative and “learners”… not, those in spite of their notable track records… that will “bully” or disrespect your decision-making DNA.

Let us know your thoughts… We’re listening…

Highly connected, well respected & with our track record of 98% successful client recruitments, our Firm’s ACP’s core commitment is centered on assisting our clients win.

Let’s collaborate in 2025 and create value for your team!