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Hiring executives is a big decision—perhaps one of the most important decisions a Board of Directors will make during their term. I sit on, partner with, and advise Boards on a weekly basis, and so, deeply appreciate that Boards can vary drastically from one another and at times, can even be contentious. I also appreciate that all Boards strive to be strategic and often struggle to make unanimous decisions.
When it comes to executive searches, Boards often consider internal candidates for several reasons:
- As a courtesy, with no real intention of being considered;
- As the fulfillment of a promise;
- Because they are qualified; and
- Because they truly seem to be the right person for the position.
Regardless of the reason, it is essential for all involved to actively foster a positive team atmosphere among the executive body and companywide in order to retain desirable talent.
While a courtesy interview sounds like a nice idea, it is generally not. It tends to be both a poor use of time and is disingenuous. Therefore, we counsel internal leadership and Board Chairs to graciously dismiss any internal candidates who have expressed interested but are not viable contenders.
We advocate for a similar approach to internal candidates who have been promised consideration but are also deemed unviable for any reason. These dismissals tend to require even greater care, particularly when there is a desire to retain this person within the organization. in the course of the dismissal, we advise against making any further promises.
With truly viable candidates, we advocate caution and a less-is-more approach. After all, there will only be one selected and so, expectations must be managed carefully along the way. We, at 360, are often the invaluable third-party. We can help to manage internal candidates and at the same time, extend the search nationally and even internationally.
Culture eats strategy for breakfast — Peter Drucker
Our end goal is to find a leader who best fits with your organization's culture, vision, and values. It's easy to tell this internally, and a little harder to discern for external candidates. Therefore, our interview process is specially designed to help elicit candidates' true character. We roll up our sleeves and dig in to deliver exceptional slates of internal and external candidates, and manage the process along the way to protect the integrity of the organization and its leaders alike. Our involvement helps reduce time-to-hire and turnover rates, and ultimately, increases shareholder value over time.
Ready to get started? Please reach out and let's get going.