How To Hire The Right People And Set Them Up For Success

In the new book, Talent: The Market Cap Multiplier, you’ll discover how seven companies from around the world reinvented the talent management process to become better functioning companies and talent engines that drive impressive growth.

Dig into Talent to learn the case studies of Johnson & Johnson, Hemnet, Argus Media, HireRight, Vishal Retail, Depop and Oak Street Health.

Authors Anish Batlaw and Ram Charan provide you through these case studies a guide for how to take a data driven approach and playbook to identifying, hiring and investing in the right people, placing them in the right roles, and then setting them up for success.

Anish Batlaw

Ram Charan

Batlaw and Charan share these insights with us:

Question: How do you identify, recruit, and support high-performing executive talent?

Batlaw & Charan: We start by developing a scorecard that captures outcomes we expect the incumbent to deliver over 18-30 months as well as the key competencies and experiences the incumbent will need to be successful. It’s critical that the scorecards be very specific and not include vague terms like “curious” or “very smart,” which are too generic.

We source candidates through our Talent Bank (which is our repository of vetted execs in the cloud) and quite often work with our preferred search partners.

Candidates are interviewed by a panel and referenced extensively. During reference checks we like to validate the experiences and achievements that candidates highlight in the interview, and which gives us confidence in their ability to hit the scorecard.

Question: What are the most important things to look for in a candidate when selecting a CEO?

Batlaw & Charan: Track record of success that is relevant to the company’s aspiration and strategies. Demonstrated potential to learn and adapt. You need to consider not only what a candidate did, but how, in great detail.

Set Direction: Clear and compelling vision; make decisions with speed and conviction.
Keep Customers at the Core: Immerse into the customer’s experience and always consider customer satisfaction and retention.
Build and Energize Organizations: Lead with integrity. Build “A” teams and make tough decisions. Build a culture of extreme collaboration.
Drive Execution: Prioritize and align resources and drive radical accountability. Integrate Strategy, Talent, and Operating Plan

Question: How has the pandemic affected companies getting the right leadership team in place to reach the company’s growth goals?

Batlaw & Charan: The standards on how to lead in these uncertain times is much higher than ever before. At the same time the demand for talent has accelerated in the context of the “great resignation.” This has created the perfect storm!

Question: Why is it so difficult for companies to recruit the right leadership team?

Batlaw & Charan: Companies need to develop leadership teams in the context of the long-term strategy and outcomes expected.

Hiring and development plans need to be rigorous, and data based; and one needs to be highly disciplined when executing critical talent initiatives.

Talent reviews (quality and quantity) need to be tightly integrated into the Operating rhythm of the company. Most companies pay lip service to this practice. It needs rigor. If businesses review financial plans on a monthly basis, they should be reviewing the talent plans on a monthly basis as well. By creating a rhythm around “talk talent,” companies should ensure that “A” players are in the most critical roles. They should also continually recalibrate if the leadership standards align with the business challenges.

Thank you to the book’s publisher for sending me an advance copy of the book.

Comments

29 People Who Taught Us Life Lessons In Courage, Integrity And Leadership

The 29 profiles you will read in Robert L. Dilenschneider’s new book, Character , are about people who are exceptional exemplars of character. They’re inspirational because they used their abilities at their highest levels to work for causes they believed in. Because of character, they influenced the world for good. The dictionary defines “character” as the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual, the distinctive nature of something, the quality of being individual in an interesting or unusual way, strength and originality in a person’s nature, and a person’s good reputation. “But beyond these definitions, we know that character is manifested in leadership, innovation, resilience, change, courage, loyalty, breaking barriers, and more,” explains Robert (Bob), “Character drives the best traits in our society, such as honesty, integrity, leadership, and transparency, and it drives others to exhibit those qualities.” Profiled in the book ar...

Ridiculously Practical Leadership By Nathan Magnuson

What I like most about Nathan Magnuson ’s leadership books is how immediately actionable and practical his teachings are. His latest book, Ridiculously Practical Leadership: The One-Step Approach To Immediate High Performance , is a perfect example. There is no fluff, no theory, just straight-up practical application covering 20 skill topics ranging from decision-making to difficult conversations to giving feedback to leading change and servant leadership . “For twenty years I’ve studied leadership development. I’ve had a front row seat to many incredible leaders and others who meant well but got stuck in the all-too-familiar rut of too-long training classes emphasizing theory over application with little to show for the investment,” says Magnuson. That’s why I wrote Ridiculously Practical Leadership . So, if you’re looking for an approach to leadership development that CEOs, CFOs and CHROs can all support and team leaders can't live without, this...

How To Give Praise To An Employee

Years ago, Entrepreneur magazine offered these timeless and valuable tips on how to give praise : Praise followed by criticism is not praise. Praise followed by praise is probably a little too much praise. Ending an expression of praise with "...and stuff" nullifies the praise. And, Make it timely. The closer the recognition is to the behavior, the more likely the behavior will be repeated. Be sincere. Be impromptu. Remember, a handwritten note is worth more than a gift card. Having trouble writing your handwritten note of praise? Try this template to get you started : _______, I couldn't be more impressed with how you______. Not only did you____, but also you_______. Beautiful. Thanks, ________

What's The Future Of Business By Brian Solis

Incredibly relevant. Highly visual. Timely. Enlightening. Instructive. Scary. These are all words I use to describe Brian Solis' new book, What's The Future (WTF) Of Business -- Changing The Way Businesses Create Experiences . You can likely already imagine that I consider this a must-read book for any business owner and any leader -- even leaders who manage businesses that don't directly connect with consumers. WTF is incredibly relevant and timely because Solis explores the non-stop transformation happening in business today, driven by new social and mobile technologies. The book is highly visual because it's the quality of a coffee-table style book, packed with compelling graphics, bright colors and a design that makes for easy reading -- all delivered on top-notch paper. And, it's enlightening and instructive , because the book delivers real-world examples that can guide you as you shape your business. Plus, WTF is scary . ...

How to Be a Leader – 9 Principles from Dale Carnegie

Today, I welcome thought-leader Nathan Magnuson as guest blogger... Nathan writes : This is it, your first day in a formal leadership role. You’ve worked hard as an individual contributor at one or possibly several organizations. Now management has finally seen fit to promote you into a position as one of their own: a supervisor. You don’t care if your new team is only one person or ten, you’re just excited that now – finally – you will be in charge! Unfortunately the euphoria is short-lived. Almost immediately, you are not only overwhelmed with the responsibilities of a team, but you quickly find that your team members are not as experienced or adroit as you. Some aren’t even as committed. You find yourself having to repeat yourself, send their work back for corrections, and staying late to fill the gap. If something doesn’t change soon, you might just run yourself into the ground. How did something that looked so easy ...

How To Join The Mission Generation

Whether you're a first-time job seeker, midlife pivoter, or legacy-minded leader, you're probably asking: Does my work matter? What am I really building? How can I keep contributing? Fortunately, there is a new book that will help you learn how to build clarity as you go—clarity about what kind of work feels worth doing and how to align your time, energy, and effort accordingly. This book is In The Mission Generation: Rewrite Success, Reclaim Your Purpose, Rebuild Our Future , written by venture capitalist, Stanford University lecturer, and CEO of the NobleReach Foundation Arun Gupta and strategic management expert and business professor Thomas J. Fewer, PhD . “The Mission Generation isn't defined by age―it's bound by conviction. This book offers a new blueprint for every age and stage, one that doesn't force you to choose between making money and finding meaning,” explain the authors. They also share the future of work isn’t about choosing between ...

How To Transform Self-Empathy Into Your Most Valuable Professional Asset

Today brings a highly personal, timely and compelling book for coaches, clinicians, executives, and leaders who want to create sustainable success without sacrificing their humanity and while putting self-empathy at the core of their professional role. The book is Leading From The Heart: The Essential Guide to Self-Empathy & Self-Compassion by Dr. D. Ivan Young , a renowned behavioral neural science expert, and ICF Mastered Certified Coach. “Empathy invites us to pause, to witness, to connect, “says Dr. Young, “It is a quiet, unhurried force that creates and builds bridges between us. At a time in which we increasingly interact with technology and artificial intelligence, practicing empathy allows us to be and feel truly human with one another.” In the book’s forward, Carrie Abner, Head of Credentialing for the International Coaching Federation, she explains that empathy allows leaders to connect more deeply with their teams, listen beyond words, suppor...

How To Survive And Then Reset To Ultimately Thrive

“Uncertainty is here to stay. Rather than seeing it as an obstacle to overcome, integrate it into your strategic approach to invigorate your high-growth potential and outperform competition under any market condition,” explains Rebecca Homkes , author of the new book, Survive, Reset, Thrive . “Most books aren’t honest enough about how hard it is to reset ,” adds Homkes. Yet, resetting and leaning into change is essential. “If you are ready to embrace change as a central element of your growth strategy, this book is for you.” Homkes’ book is a timely, comprehensive, and essential read for business leaders looking to take the next step toward ensuring high growth for their companies. The book brings together more than 15 years of Homkes working directly with high-growth companies of all sizes and across a wide variety of industries. Survive, Reset, Thrive (SRT) is a practical and innovative interconnected three-mode approach : Survive : Stabilizing ...

How To Uncover Your Blindspots To Become A Better Leader

What you don't see about yourself can hold you back as a leader. That's typical for many leaders. What we don't see is what we can't see: we have blindspots . Your blindspots prevent you from achieving your greatest success. “It turns out that we're often not great judges of ourselves, even when we think we are. Sometimes we're simply unaware of a behavior or trait that's causing problems,” explains Martin Dubin , author of the new book, Blindspotting: How To See What’s Holding You Back As A Leader . “Bottom line: until we uncover these blindspots, we can't move forward. The good news is that you can learn to do your own blindspotting .” “Most of us understand the idea of blindspots in a general sense—areas we can’t see, to take the term most literally, or places we have gaps that we may not even realize, to be a little more abstract,” says Dubin. “But in the context of this book, I’m defining blindspots quite specifically: They are...

Lead Boldly: Seven Principles From Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated more than 55 years ago, yet his words continue to inspire millions of people, young and old—from all races and backgrounds. During his remarkable life, he embodied bold and compassionate leadership. The new book, Lead Boldly , by Robert F. Smith , Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, is a personal reflection of how Dr. King inspired Smith. He shares his insights and experiences on how King’s themes like “The Beloved Community,” “Economic Justice,” and “Two Americas” played a central role in his own leadership development and why the visionary ideas of Dr. King espoused are so important for leaders to understand and apply today. As you read the book, you can reflect on some of Dr. King’s most impactful speeches and integrate his lessons into your leadership journey. Smith encourages readers to consider how they can: Contribute to fostering unity, support, and positive change. Embrace the power to cre...

Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

Search This Blog