How To Identify, Recruit, And Support High-Performing Talent

Dig into the book, 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: 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

How To Rewire Your Mind To Build Your Adaptability Quotient

Alec Litowitz argues that the most valuable skill of the next decade isn't IQ or even EQ (Emotional Intelligence). It's AQ: your Adaptability Quotient, the ability to question assumptions, update beliefs, and respond effectively when reality changes. Litowitz is the author of the forthcoming book (releasing on September 15, 2026) The Adaptability Quotient: Rewiring Your Mind For Success In The Next Human Era . And he shares that “AQ is a learnable way of using your mind like a high-performance machine: to model risk, absorb feedback, make faster corrections, and create repeatable advantages in conditions where most people stall out—or drown.” In short, it’s all about how to move from “making the right decision” to “making decisions right.” “As artificial intelligence, media, and scientific advances reshape the cognitive landscape, adaptability becomes the essential discipline for reclaiming human agency,” adds Litowitz. “And a s AI resha...

Leadership Quotes From John C. Maxwell's Book, Everyone Communicates Few Connect

The real gems in John C. Maxwell's book, Everyone Communicates Few Connect , are the abundant leadership and communication quotes, such as these: To add value to others, one must first value others. People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude. All good communicators get to the point before their listeners start asking, "What's the point?" The first time you say something, it's heard. The second time, it's recognized, and the third time it's learned. In the end, people are persuaded not by what we say, but by what they understand. People pay attention when something that is said connects with something they greatly desire. Maxwell also says that: Management is about persuading people to do things they do not want to do, while leadership is about inspiring people to do things they never thought they could . The book covers five principles and five practices to help readers so they can connect one-on-one, in a group, o...

Learn The Power Of Probabilistic Thinking

Dive in for a fascinating read as you discover the life-changing power of probabilistic thinking, taught by Kyle Austin Young in his book, Success Is A Numbers Game . “Every goal that you’re pursuing has two hidden numbers attached to it—a probability of success and a probability of failure,” explains Young, “If you can make the first number bigger and the second number smaller, you can rewrite your predicted outcome.” “Whether you’re trying to start a business, run a marathon, get a promotion, earn a pilot’s license, grow a bumper crop of tomatoes, or sign an acting deal, these two percentages are always lurking in the shadows predicting what is going to happen.” But, adds Young, "Most of us never think about them. We assume our odds are unknowable and unchangeable. This dangerous lie leads millions of people to fail at goals where they were perfectly capable of succeeding. You can choose a smarter path,” encourages Young. In Success is a Numbers Game , ...

Daily Intentions For Leaders

Everyone can benefit from the book, Dear Friend , which features bite-sized, daily notes for contemplation, inspiration, connection, and clarity. Busy and stressed business leaders can particularly benefit from the 365 profound, heartfelt reflections from author Michelle Maros , founder of Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life and cohost of the podcast, Life Happens with Barb and Michelle . Dear Friend invites readers to go deep and use the notes as a daily practice that compounds over time, nurturing strength, resilience, and clarity. In just a few minutes each day, this book will offer you a daily reprieve when you feel burned out, beaten down, or overwhelmed by the strains and stresses of modern life. The heart of Dear Friend began in the quiet mornings Michelle shared with her mom, Barb. Every day, they would sit together, reading affirmations or passages from Barb’s beloved books. These small rituals—simple but powerful—set the tone for each day, grounding them in g...

How To Deliver Excellent Customer Service This Holiday Season

Leading a customer service team? Have the team members use these 9 tips for delivering excellent customer service this holiday shopping season: Rely on winning words and soothing phrases. A simple but sincere “Thanks for your patience” or “I’m listening” can go a long way toward defusing a holiday shopper’s frustration, anxiety, or panic. Develop a repertoire of short, easy to remember phrases around issues that are important to customers. Practice until the words come naturally. Communicate with silence. Remaining silent while your customers are talking is a basic courtesy, and nodding tells them you’re listening and understanding what you hear. An occasional “uh huh” or “I see” tells them you’re still listening without interrupting. Make customers feel seen. Making eye contact acknowledges that you see your customers as individuals. But there’s a balance to be struck here: staring can make your customers uncomfortable, too. Also keep in mind that...

Inspiring Leadership Quotes To Start Your New Year

These quotes truly inspire me and hopefully they will inspire you as well : “The three common characteristics of best companies -- they care, they have fun, they have high performance expectations.” -- Brad Hams “The one thing that's common to all successful people: They make a habit of doing things that unsuccessful people don't like to do.” -- Michael Phelps “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit." -- Harry S. Truman “The leader of the past was a person who knew how to tell. The leader of the future will be a person who knows how to ask.” -- Peter Drucker “Leadership: The art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.” -- Dwight D. Eisenhower “Good leadership isn't about advancing yourself. It's about advancing your team.” -- John C. Maxwell "People buy into the leader, then the vision.” -- John C. Maxwell ...

Best New Leadership Books Of 2022

This time each year, I select from all the leadership books I read during the year my pick for the best new leadership book of the year . It was a tough choice, so for 2022, I'm picking two books: Both books are timely, highly relevant, full of great teachings and well worth reading for leaders at any stage of their careers. Here is a recap about each of these two best new leadership books for 2022: Leading With Heart Those who lead with heart consistently have discussions with their teams about their unexpressed needs, fears, desires, gifts, and sense of purpose , explain the authors of the timely and compelling book, Leading With Heart . CEO coaches and authors John Baird and Edward Sullivan share that anyone can learn how to make an authentic connection with their teams in order to drive better outcomes. And their book provides readers clear and practical insights to help them succeed in making those connections. Be sure t...

70 New Year's Resolutions For Leaders For 2019

With less than two weeks before 2019, it's time to identify your New Year's Resolutions for next year. To get you started, how about selecting one or more of these 70 New Year's resolutions for leaders? Perhaps write down five to ten and then between now and January 1, think about which couple you want to work on during 2019. Don't micromanage Don't be a bottleneck Focus on outcomes, not minutiae Build trust with your colleagues before a crisis comes Assess your company's strengths and weaknesses at all times Conduct annual risk reviews Be courageous, quick and fair Talk more about values more than rules Reward how a performance is achieved and not only the performance Constantly challenge your team to do better Celebrate your employees' successes, not your own Err on the side of taking action Communicate clearly and often Be visible Eliminate the cause of a mistake View every problem as an opportunity to grow Summarize group consens...

Flashback: Best New Leadership Book Of 2015

Flashback to this post from early 2016 : After reading nearly 30 new books about leadership this year, my pick for 2015's best new leadership book is, Advisory Leadership , by Greg Friedman , Although the book is authored by an award-winning financial advisor and primarily written for professionals in the financial services industry, this book is a must read for any leader who wants to create a nurturing heart culture that hinges on the human-centric values the next generation of employees hold in high regard. And, what exactly is heart culture ? Friedman says, "At its core, heart culture symbolizes how a company values more than just an employee's output. It's not about the work, but rather, the people who do the work." He further explains that leaders can no longer afford to ignore the shift toward a people-first culture and its direct influence on a healthy, effective work environment. Friedman teaches that there are seven s...

How To Be An Inclusive Leader

“No matter your title, or how advanced you already consider yourself to be as an inclusive leader, I believe this book will help you evolve and motivate you to take action,” says Jennifer Brown about her book, How To be An Inclusive Leader: Your Role In Creating Cultures Of Belonging Where Everyone Can Thrive . The book is the second edition of the bestselling title from 2021. This newest installment includes a new introduction and addresses challenges posed by the pandemic—including remote work, flexibility, and mental health. “It also gives increased attention to embedding equity, empathy, and anti-racism in the inclusive leader framework,” shares Brown. “I’m proud that this second edition will help leaders and organizations respond to the changes unfolding around us in relevant, culturally competent ways and take action to address systemic inequities that persist in the workplace.” In her book, Brown explores how power and authority are changing fu...

Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

Search This Blog