Headhunting Strategies

After spending three decades in the aerospace industry, I’ve seen firsthand how crucial it is for different sectors to learn from each other. We no longer can afford to stay stuck in our own bubbles. Take the aerospace industry, for example. They’ve been looking at how car manufacturers automate their factories to improve their own processes. And those racing teams? Their ability to prototype quickly and develop at a breakneck pace is something we can all learn from to speed up our product development. It’s all about breaking down those silos and embracing new ideas from wherever we can find them. When I was leading the Scorpion Jet program, our rapid development – less than two years to develop a new aircraft – caught the attention of a company known for razors and electric shavers. They reached out to us, intrigued by our ability to iterate so quickly, telling me "you developed a new jet faster than we can develop new razors..." They wanted to learn how we managed to streamline our processes. It was quite an unexpected and fascinating experience that underscored the value of looking beyond one’s own industry can lead to significant improvements and efficiencies, even in fields as seemingly unrelated as aerospace and consumer electronics. In today’s fast-paced world, it’s more important than ever for industries to break out of their silos and look to other sectors for fresh ideas and processes. This kind of cross-industry learning not only fosters innovation but also helps stay competitive in a rapidly changing market. For instance, the aerospace industry has been taking cues from car manufacturers to improve factory automation. And the automotive companies are adopting aerospace processes for systems engineering. Meanwhile, both sectors are picking up tips from tech giants like Apple and Google to boost their electronics and software development. And at Siemens, we partner with racing teams. Why? Because their knack for rapid prototyping and fast-paced development is something we can all learn from to speed up our product development cycles. This cross-pollination of ideas is crucial as industries evolve and integrate more advanced technologies. By exploring best practices from other industries, companies can find innovative new ways to improve their processes and products. After all, how can someone think outside the box, if they are only looking in the box? If you are interested in learning more, I suggest checking out this article by my colleagues Todd Tuthill and Nand Kochhar where they take a closer look at how cross-industry learning are key to developing advanced air mobility solutions. https://lnkd.in/dK3U6pJf

I've seen, for years, executive hiring revolved around compensation, prestige, and power. The bigger the paycheck, the bigger the pull. But today’s best executives? They want more. And if your culture doesn’t align with their values, no salary bump is going to change that. I've been hiring agressively for #CPG companies since a decade and now, top leaders aren’t just evaluating what they’ll be doing, but who they’ll be doing it with. ✅ They want alignment, not just a paycheck. ✅ They choose leadership values over leadership vanity. ✅ They prioritize culture over compensation—even at the highest levels. They’re asking tougher questions than ever: -How does leadership actually behave when no one’s watching? -Is DEI a real commitment or just a slide in the investor deck? -Is this a place where I can lead authentically—or will I be fighting culture battles daily? And the data backs it up: -69% of executives won’t take a job at a company with a bad culture—even if the paycheck is bigger. (Harvard Business Review) - Companies that prioritize culture in hiring outperform competitors by 3x. (McKinsey & Company) - #1 reason top executives leave within 18 months? Cultural misalignment. (Hunt Scanlon Media) If your culture isn’t attracting top talent, it’s actively repelling them. 🔹 Recruiters: Stop selling roles—start selling workplace reality. If the culture is broken, no paycheck will fix it. 🔹 Hiring leaders: Is culture part of your executive search strategy—or just an afterthought? 🔹 Organizations: If you’re not shaping culture intentionally, you’re passively losing talent to companies that are. At the end of the day, executive search isn’t just about placing leaders—it’s about placing the right leaders in cultures where they can thrive. Is your culture a magnet for top FMCG talent—or a silent dealbreaker? Your biggest competitor in hiring top FMCG talent isn’t another company—it’s your own company culture. #ExecutiveSearch #FMCG #Leadership #Culture #Hiring #TalentAccquisition

If Apple did all its hiring only from BlackBerry or Nokia, would the iPhone even exist in its current form? Unlikely. Innovation rarely thrives in echo chambers. So why do so many leaders insist on hiring only from within their own industry, especially in supply chain, where adaptability is everything? After 20+ years leading supply chains across FMCG, Foods, Automotive, and Medical Devices, I’ve seen a puzzling paradox: companies seek transformation but screen out the very people who could deliver those with cross-industry experience. Yes, every industry has its nuances. But supply chain fundamentals—demand planning, inventory optimization, risk management, supplier relationships—are highly transferable. More importantly, cross-pollination brings powerful perspectives. Here’s what they’re missing: ·       Pharma’s production efficiency is powered by automotive’s lean manufacturing. ·       Tech’s rapid launch cycles are inspired by fashion’s fast-cycle forecasting. ·       Food safety protocols strengthened through healthcare’s traceability standards. Still, most leaders default to familiarity over foresight. In a world defined by volatility and complexity, fresh thinking is a requirement. Leaders who’ve navigated multiple sectors bring the agility, curiosity, and strategic breadth needed to build future-ready supply chains. If you're hiring for growth, stop looking in the rear-view mirror. The future is being built by those who think across borders—and industries. Are you still hiring your supply chain team from your own industry or you build diverse teams mindfully? #SupplyChainLeadership #TalentStrategy #CrossIndustryThinking #FutureOfWork #SupplyChainTransformation

I was recently brought in to help a company fill a senior leadership position. The client had their eye on a highly impressive candidate—an executive with years of experience leading teams in major corporations. But as we dove deeper into the conversation, it became clear that the candidate’s polished resume was just the surface. We decided to take a different approach—using behavioral interviewing to explore how this candidate truly operated in leadership scenarios. Instead of focusing on "What have you achieved?" we asked, "Tell me about a time you faced a crisis, and how did you lead your team through it?" What followed was eye-opening. The candidate shared a story of how they navigated a massive company-wide disruption, not just by implementing strategy, but by engaging with every level of the team, being transparent, and ensuring collaboration across departments. This wasn’t something you could find on their resume. It was the true essence of leadership, and it was the kind of insight I now always prioritize when consulting for executive roles. Why Behavioral Event Interviewing Are a Game-Changer in Executive Consulting: 1. Beyond the Resume: We’re not hiring for what someone has done; we’re hiring for how they do it. 2. Real Leadership Qualities: Behavioral interviews highlight traits like resilience, empathy, problem-solving, and decision making which are vital in top executives. 3. Authentic Responses: By asking about specific past experiences, we avoid generic, rehearsed answers that don’t truly reflect a candidate’s leadership abilities. 4. Cultural Fit: The way a candidate responds to pressure, failure, or success shows if they align with your organization’s values and culture. 5. Predicting Future Success: Past behavior is often the best predictor of how someone will perform in similar situations in the future. As I continue consulting for top-tier executives, behavioral interviews have become my key strategy for assessing true leadership potential. It’s not just about the position they held or the titles they’ve earned—it’s about how they lead when no one’s watching. Have you ever relied on behavioral event interviews for executive hiring? What was your experience? Let’s discuss this in the comments! #ExecutiveHiring #LeadershipInsights #BehavioralInterviewing #HiringStrategies #LeadershipDevelopment #TalentAcquisition #ExecutiveConsulting #LeadershipQualities #CulturalFit

If you’re still playing by the old rules, you’re invisible in a new game. Most executives don’t have a job search problem. They have a time capsule problem. They’re using strategies that worked: --10 years ago --2 roles ago --in a completely different hiring market Applying online. --Waiting for recruiters. --Tweaking the same résumé over and over. It feels productive. It’s not. Today’s executive job search is driven by: --signal, not volume --positioning, not keywords --conversations, not applications Your résumé isn’t being read first. It’s being filtered—by: —algorithms -->recruiters<-- —and compressed attention spans. Your story isn’t being interpreted. It’s being pattern-matched against the business's current needs. If you haven’t updated how you show up, the market isn’t rejecting you. It’s not even seeing you. Modern search requires a clear, differentiated signal. One that communicates: --what you lead --how you create value --and why you’re relevant now Most leaders are still broadcasting on the wrong frequency. What are you broadcasting? #QualifiedIsntEnough #CareerVelocity #executivesearch

Breaking the Mold: Why Cross-Industry Leadership Hiring is the Future In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, the traditional approach of hiring leaders exclusively from within the same industry is becoming increasingly outdated. As organizations face unprecedented challenges and opportunities, there's a growing recognition that fresh perspectives and diverse experiences can be invaluable assets in the C-suite. ## The Power of Cross-Pollination When we bring leaders from different industries into our organizations, we're not just filling a position – we're infusing our company with new ideas, innovative approaches, and unique problem-solving skills. This cross-pollination of talent can lead to: 1. Increased innovation and creativity 2. Enhanced adaptability to market changes 3. Fresh perspectives on long-standing challenges 4. Improved diversity of thought in decision-making ## Transferable Leadership Skills Great leaders possess a set of core competencies that transcend industry boundaries. These include: • Strategic thinking and vision-setting • Change management expertise • Strong communication and interpersonal skills • Ability to inspire and motivate teams • Adaptability and learning agility These skills are often more valuable than industry-specific knowledge, which can be acquired on the job. ## Overcoming Resistance Naturally, there may be concerns about bringing in leaders from outside the industry. Common objections include: • Lack of industry-specific knowledge • Potential culture clash • Learning curve and adjustment period However, these challenges can be mitigated through proper onboarding, mentorship programs, and a culture that values diverse perspectives. ## Success Stories We've seen numerous examples of leaders successfully transitioning across industries: • Alan Mulally moving from Boeing to Ford • Satya Nadella shifting from cloud computing to lead all of Microsoft • Angela Ahrendts transitioning from Burberry to Apple's retail division These leaders brought fresh ideas and approaches that revitalized their new organizations. ## The Way Forward As we look to the future, organizations that embrace cross-industry hiring for leadership roles will likely find themselves better equipped to navigate the complexities of our rapidly changing world. By valuing transferable skills, diverse experiences, and fresh perspectives, we can build more resilient, innovative, and adaptable companies. What are your thoughts on cross-industry leadership hiring? Have you seen success stories in your organization? Let's continue this important conversation in the comments below. #LeadershipDevelopment #CrossIndustryTalent #InnovativeHiring #DiverseLeadership #BusinessStrategy #OrganizationalChange #TalentAcquisition #FutureOfWork #ExecutiveLeadership #CareerTransitions

Searching for senior executive roles is an entirely different game than most career moves. At this level, the right strategy goes beyond updating your resume and LinkedIn profile. Some insights on building a targeted approach that gets results: 💲 Define Your Value Proposition Senior roles require clarity on your unique impact—think about the transformation you can drive. Reflect on your leadership strengths and the core expertise that sets you apart. This will form the foundation of your story. 💲 Target Specific Companies Don’t wait for opportunities to appear in job postings. Identify 10-20 companies where your experience would add specific value. Tailor your outreach to these organizations, emphasizing the problems you’re uniquely equipped to solve. 💲 Activate & Expand Your Network At the executive level, most roles are filled through connections. Connect with leaders in your target industries and companies, attend relevant events, and leverage connections you may have overlooked. Cultivate relationships—not just for job leads, but to understand industry needs and pain points. 💲 Build Your Brand Thoughtfully Position yourself as a thought leader in your space. Publish articles, comment thoughtfully on industry news, and consider speaking engagements. This isn’t just about visibility; it shows prospective employers your expertise and strategic thinking. 💲 Work with Executive Recruiters & Firms Build relationships with executive search firms that specialize in your industry. They can be invaluable resources, but remember, they work for the hiring company. Stay in touch, keep them updated on your progress, and be selective in who you approach. 💲 Be Prepared for a Lengthy Process The search for executive roles can take longer than anticipated. Focus on keeping momentum and staying positive. Your strategy will yield results if you remain consistent and committed. 🌐 The path to a senior role is nuanced and requires intention, patience, and resilience. Commit to a proactive strategy, and remember: the best roles often come through the relationships and trust you’ve built over time. #executivecareers #careers #jobsearch #strategy

Refresh your LinkedIn profile. Toggle Open to Work on and off. The algorithm rewards recent activity, apparently. I get why it spreads. It sounds actionable. It takes 30 seconds. And when you’ve been job searching for three months with almost no responses, you will try anything. But here’s what that tip is missing. The part you’d only know if you actually use LinkedIn Recruiter. I run candidate searches for a living. Part of that workflow is saving promising profiles into what LinkedIn calls a Project. Think of it as a holding list for a role that’s open or coming. You save someone because the timing isn’t right yet, or you want to track them for a future position. Here’s what happens when those saved candidates turn on Open to Work. LinkedIn sends the recruiter a notification. You just moved back to the top of their mind, for a role they were already considering you for. That’s the part of the “toggle” tip that’s actually real. Not the algorithm hack. The recruiter notification. But it only fires if a recruiter has already saved you. Which means they had to find you first. And that’s where most people’s search actually breaks. When I run a search, I’m typing a job title, a seniority level, maybe a stack. Then scanning the profiles that come up and asking one question: can I confirm this person is the right fit without clicking through? The profiles I contact aren’t the most recently active. They’re the ones where I can pattern match to what im looking for. Level. Function. Relevant scope. All of it visible in the headline and the first two lines of the About section or their recent one to two roles. Activity signals do give you a small edge when two profiles are otherwise matched. But they don’t get you into the match in the first place. Keywords do that. And if I have to decipher your seniority and stack. I’ll move on. So here’s the order of operations. First open a job description for a role you want. Find the three terms that appear most in the responsibilities and skills section. Check whether those exact terms appear in your LinkedIn headline and first two lines of your About section or your Experience section . Not paraphrased. Verbatim. Then turn on Open to Work. Because once your profile is actually surfacing in searches, the notification does the rest.

Do you know what’s the most common mistake in #hiring? Judging current skill level, instead of motivation. Benjamin S. Bloom (University of Chicago) led a multi-year #research project studying the development paths of 120 top performers across six very different fields: concert pianists, sculptors, Olympic swimmers, world-class tennis players, research mathematicians, and research neurologists. Their conclusion wasn’t “they were obviously gifted from day one.” It was basically: drive + determination + willingness to practice + the right coaching environment over time Even more interesting: in many families, parents said the “star” wasn’t always the child they thought had the most “natural ability.” The difference was the one who was more willing to work and more eager to improve. Now translate that to hiring. If we only hire the most “ready” person, we’re not hiring potential. We’re hiring proof. But proof is past-focused. Potential is #future -focused. So in interviews, I’d rather investigate (and observe): 👉🏻how quickly did you learn something hard recently? 👉🏻do you get energized by feedback or threatened by it? 👉🏻when you don’t know… do you freeze or do you figure it out? 👉🏻do you take ownership, or do you outsource responsibility to “circumstances”? The good on paper candidate can plateau the moment the job gets uncomfortable. And the “not perfect yet” candidate can become your best hire… because they’re the kind of person who keeps growing after you stop watching. Maybe the question isn’t: “Who is the best right now?” But: “Who will become great once we invest in them?” Cause if I have learned anything from working with people all these years, I’ll tell you this: The most successful person is hardly ever the one you’ll say “oh yes, they were the best in class/ in the job/ in their field”. It’s much more often the ones you’ll say “no one wanted it more than them”. So yes, search for motivation. It might not be in the #CV, but it certainly leaves clues behind.

The $2.3 million mistake just walked out the door. That's the average cost when an executive fails in their first 18 months. Yet most hiring managers are still using the same broken metrics to make these critical decisions. Here's what they're getting wrong: 1. Years of Experience ≠ Leadership Capability 20 years doing the same thing ≠ 20 years of growth. I've seen 10-year veterans outperform 30-year "experts" because they understood change, not just process. 2. Blue Blood Company Names ≠ Individual Impact A big logo on a resume doesn't tell you how they'll perform when they ARE the infrastructure. Many executives from large companies struggle without massive support systems. 3. Perfect Interview Performance ≠ Real Leadership The best leaders I know are often terrible at selling themselves. They're too busy solving problems to perfect their pitch. 4. Industry Match ≠ Cultural Fit Cross-industry leaders often bring the fresh perspective that stagnant companies desperately need. The executives who truly transform organizations rarely look perfect on paper. So what should you look for instead? They look like problems solvers, not resume builders. The real indicators of executive success? Adaptability under pressure, decision-making speed, and the ability to inspire teams through uncertainty. These don't show up in traditional metrics. What's one hiring criterion you've learned to ignore? P.S. If you're tired of expensive hiring mistakes, let's talk strategy. 15 minutes could save you millions. DM me. #ExecutiveHiring #Leadership #TalentAcquisition #HiringStrategy #ExecutiveSearch