Executive hiring has traditionally rewarded experience.
- Sector expertise.
- Years in role.
- Size of budget managed.
- Number of people led.
These remain important indicators but are they still the best predictors of future success?
The pace of change facing organisations today is unlike anything we've seen before. AI, geopolitical uncertainty, changing customer expectations and new ways of working are forcing leadership teams to make decisions in environments with very few precedents.
Yet many executive hiring processes continue to assess candidates primarily on what they've already done.
- Experience demonstrates capability.
- Adaptability demonstrates potential.
The two are not always the same.
Increasingly, the leaders creating the greatest value aren't those with the most linear careers. They showcase evidence of being able to learn quickly, challenge assumptions, deal with ambiguity and lead change with confidence.
That raises an important question for boards:
Are we recruiting leaders to protect today's business or to build tomorrow's?
Past performance will always matter but in a market defined by uncertainty, it shouldn't be the only lens through which leadership potential is assessed.
The organisations that outperform over the next decade may not be those that hire the most experienced executives.
They may be the ones that identify the leaders best equipped for a future that no CV can fully predict.
What qualities are you prioritising when hiring senior leaders today? Have they changed over the past five years?
If you are unsure and would like to discuss further, I’d be happy to have a conversation.
Best, Liz
