Election Day, 2012. Candidates for office at all levels of government have points of view on multitudes of issues and how they will address each issue if elected. Improving our schools is one such issue. In recent years, research has increasingly pointed to teacher quality as a primary driver of top quality schools. A Harvard [...]
“The ancient Romans had a tradition: whenever one of their engineers constructed an arch, as the capstone was hoisted into place, the engineer assumed responsibility for his work in the most profound way possible: he stood under the arch.” Michael Armstrong Former Chairman and CEO AT&T Accountability. We have heard it discussed frequently in recent [...]
businessman looking at hand drawn business concept sketch Several months ago, I wrote a blog entry titled, “where smarter people decisions begin.” Summarizing that entry, I suggested a leader develop a job/candidate specification or scorecard for the position as the starting point for aiding the effort to get the right person in the [...]
Vector Illustration - Brain Searching Concept With the sudden retirement of California utility PG&E CEO Peter Darbee, the “President of the California Public Utilities Commission suggested that PG&E ‘return to its roots by hiring the most technically competent person, someone with a long standing history of performance in the energy industry.’" (PG&E CEO [...]
Red shoes standing next start with arrow painted on ground If you expect to make a key hire this year, follow the three steps below to begin the process for making smarter people decisions: Focus on priorities Begin by identifying the 3 to 5 most important outcomes that must be achieved in the [...]
Recruiting is hard. It's just finding the needles in the haystack. You can't know enough in a one-hour interview. So, in the end, it's ultimately based on your gut. How do I feel about this person? What are they like when they're challenged? I ask everybody that: 'Why are you here?' The answers themselves are [...]
A priority for many business executives in this down economy is upgrading leadership talent in such areas as Sales, Finance, and Supply Chain. In these and other key functions, executives are betting that the external hire can outperform the incumbent, now, and in the future. As in any bet, there are risks with taking [...]
Help Wanted...Only those with current experience in our market, industry, product, technology, systems, etc. need apply....Many companies believe that in today's environment the best candidates are those whose prior experience closely matches the company's situation. On the surface, this seems a logical approach. With so many people seeking work, whether they are employed or unemployed, [...]
Although layoff announcements and jobless claims dominate the current headlines, some firms are making it a priority to upgrade talent in key roles. Savvy business leaders and HR officers recognize the importance of fielding a strong team to not only survive now but, thrive as the economy rebounds. Sales, finance and operations/supply chain are prime [...]
A candidate for a Chief Marketing Officer is flown in from the west coast for what is expected to be a final round of interviews at a southeastern based financial services firm. The candidate possessed all the right qualifications to drive the changes needed to support a new business strategy.. Among the candidate's attractive qualities [...]