An essential guide to hiring the best leaders for culture and growth
Right leaders, right results
Author:
Claudia Wardle
Executive Search, AMS
Healthcare and Life Sciences Lead
Chapter 1
What makes an effective leader?
Culture fit was the most important factor businesses look for when hiring new leaders, according to a recent poll conducted by the Executive Search team at AMS.
The poll aimed at senior talent professionals and executives identified “culture fit” as the top priority in hiring senior talent. It’s an interesting juxtaposition to the long-held view that organisational needs always win the day when organisations consider how and who to bring into their leadership teams.
There were also notable interesting differences between sector hiring. Respondents from pharma, education and financial services highlighted “culture fit” as a key priority, with “development and potential” being of a more important consideration to the retail, consulting and technology sectors. HR and talent professionals had a focus on “organizational needs” as well as “culture fit”, indicative of a focus on business priorities. By far the least important factor though across all sectors? “Individual reputation”, refreshing in the era of skills-based hiring.
What is “culture fit”?
It is not simply a matter of slotting into a culture like a jigsaw piece; the concept has more nuance and is dual-pronged. On one hand, it involves assimilating into organizational culture in the appropriate way—be this blending in or revolutionizing; on the other, it refers to the leader’s ability to impact and shape wider culture (a key feature of “development and potential”), contributing to evolution and growth.
Is there a “recipe” to a good leader?
Effective leadership encompasses a broad range of traits and skills, but, depending on the organization’s culture and circumstances, these may be found or required in varying amounts. In other words, there is no fixed recipe. The right leader for one business is not the right leader for another. Likewise, the need for a leader right now may look completely different for a business compared to three years ago. Moreover, leaders are nuanced. To reduce an individual to simply a “strategic leader with extensive M&A experience,” for instance, does not capture the full picture. A more refined approach to hiring leadership is needed to ensure a positive culture and ultimately business success.
The Situational Leadership model – and why it matters
Effective leadership isn’t simply about finding the right person for the role; it also depends on leading the team. The Situational Leadership® model addresses varying employee needs by encouraging leaders to adapt their style based on current circumstances and team dynamics. This approach recognizes that effective leadership isn’t “one size fits all” since employees differ in their need for guidance. Situational leaders tailor their approach to each situation, engendering a positive culture through trust, transparency, and openness to feedback. They assess team members' readiness and ability before choosing the appropriate balance of support and direction. [2] (Fig. 2)
This framework helps to visualize the benefit of different leadership styles for different groups of people and demonstrates the grander mechanisms at work when leaders step into wider company dynamics.
Chapter 2
Hiring the right leaders with AMS
This adaptability and variation in leadership is mirrored in the approach taken by AMS Executive when identifying, selecting and appointing top talent. We employ a 10-step methodology that reflects both our unique position as a strategic, long-term search partner, and our unwavering commitment to not just finding great leaders, but the appropriate leaders for unique cultural and business circumstances.
1.
Determining responsibility
We assemble the best team for each project. For example, the search for a Head of People for a consumer health business may be spearheaded by our lead consultant for healthcare, supported by our Consumer lead and a member of our Research Centre of Excellence specialized in HR searches.
2.
Consultation & briefing
Collaborating closely with the hiring committee to understand our partner organization’s culture, vision and strategic objectives, we capture thorough context to tailor our search accordingly.
We also take DEIB seriously in executive search is crucial because it fosters a wide range of perspectives, drives innovation, and enhances decision-making, ultimately leading to stronger organizational performance and a more inclusive workplace culture.’
3.
Developing a leadership profile
Via our work with key stakeholders, we craft a leadership profile to provide our executive search cornerstone. This may be prescriptive and fixed if the hiring organization’s ideas are more defined, or, if our partner’s vision is still somewhat amorphous, it may be open and subject to evolution.
4.
Mapping & research
AMS Executive conducts extensive research to rigorously analyse the talent landscape to identify leaders best suited to the position in question, as well as high-calibre individuals in our network who may offer thoughts and ideas. Our project team will develop the optimum targeted, yet agile, search strategy.
5.
Candidate approaches
We use a combination of direct approaches, leveraging our networks, industry and leadership databases, social media and telephone and email to engage top-tier candidates. We capture the employer’s brand and vision to “sell” the opportunity.
6.
Interviews & assessment
AMS Executive oversees a multi-stage interview and assessment process that adheres to each search’s unique needs. We are flexible, sometimes conducting only the preliminary interviews and assessments, while for other searches assuming responsibility for behavioural assessments and psychometric tests.
7.
Due diligence
To mitigate risk, AMS Executive performs comprehensive due diligence checks, including reference verification and background assessments.
8.
Offer management
We manager offer negotiations, ensuring a fair and competitive compensation package reflecting both candidate worth and our partner’s budget. We handle all interactions with utmost sensitivity and diplomacy, with clarity and mutual satisfaction front and centre.
9.
Onboarding
We can support the hiring organization with onboarding and integration, collaborating to set initial objectives and expectations, and even facilitating introductions and connections with key stakeholders. At agreed checkpoints, we follow the progress of the new leader and ensure cultural fit and performance evaluation.
10.
What next?
Whatever else our partner may need in the world of talent, be it Leadership Coaching, Employer Branding, or something larger scale like RPO, we facilitate these discussions and introduce our relevant colleagues.
Success stories
Two recent AMS Executive case studies illuminate the effectiveness of our framework and tactics in action.
Case Study 1
Head of Eastern Europe, Global Pharmaceutical company
In a nutshell
AMS worked with an international pharmaceutical client to appoint the head of a newly integrated cluster.
Context & cultural considerations
The Head of Eastern Europe was required to lead a newly integrated regional cluster, focussing on strategic initiatives and market growth.
Success demanded an accomplished General Manager who embodied cultural values of mutual respect and consensus-driven decision-making, who would foster collaboration among diverse teams, prioritize quality and compliance and uphold a patient-centric ethos.
Our approach
We maintained a closely collaborative relationship with the hiring committee, performing an in-depth market analysis that revealed alternative organizational targets better suited to organizational needs than those determined at the briefing. We recommended exploring a broader range of candidates and suggested a reassessment of resource allocation to attract the ideal candidate, informed by our data. Keeping culture fit at the core, we prioritized candidates who demonstrated an integrative leadership style and a commitment to fostering strong relationships.
The result
We appointed a leader with extensive General Management experience, strong financial acumen, and data-driven decision-making skills. His collaborative leadership style and ability to foster cohesive teams aligned seamlessly with the client’s culturally rooted focus on consensus and mutual respect. His integrity and strategic vision will enable the successful integration of the two clusters, driving performance, market share growth and long-term success in alignment with the business’s overarching objectives.
Case Study 2
Group CFO, International Clean Energy company
In a nutshell
We built out our clean energy partner’s executive team, including appointing the Group CFO.
Context & cultural considerations
The founders required a CFO who could lead financial strategy while driving the organizational mission to deliver renewable solutions to low-income households across a specific region of Africa. The role demanded a nuanced understanding of the region’s energy and infrastructure landscape, the ability to oversee investments in innovative technologies and expertise in financial analysis and planning.
Culturally, the leader needed values of community engagement and eagerness to cultivate partnerships enhancing local logistics and supply chain management.
Our approach
Our strategy was to target leaders possessing a deep understanding of the cultural landscape in the relevant African region and strong negotiation skills that would enable them to navigate local complexities. We focused on those exhibiting a passion for nurturing community involvement while simultaneously introducing robust systems that enhanced efficiency.
The result
We appointed a commercially astute CFO with diverse sector experience, including in the relevant region of Africa, whose track record in growth and problem-solving met our client’s need for innovative solutions. The leader’s collaborative style and dedication to understanding local communities ensured that the organization could effectively navigate the complexities of the market while fostering meaningful relationships with stakeholders. This approach not only enhanced operational efficiency but also positioned the client to drive sustainable growth and make a positive impact on those communities they serve.
Why come to AMS?
As outlined at the beginning of this paper, the results of a recent AMS Executive survey underscored the need for culture fit as the foremost factor in appointing a leader. It was furthermore posited that a refined approach must be taken to ascertaining this fit and a leader’s potential to determine the right culture to underpin business success. Elements that must be taken into consideration include business scale, stage, maturity, sector, objectives, financial health as well as market dynamics, crisis preparedness and manifold others.
As the specialized leadership division within the industry-defining talent giant AMS, AMS Executive is uniquely poised to navigate complex landscapes and identify, attract and appoint leaders who will shape cultures that drive organizational excellence.
About the Author
Claudia Wardle is responsible for executive search and leadership solutions in the healthcare & life sciences sector, supporting partners ranging from top 10 pharma to medtech start-ups. She left academia to enter the world of talent and culture and was trained in executive search at a world-renowned firm. She joined AMS in 2022 to spearhead strategies that drive organizational excellence and foster innovative leadership within the sector and more broadly.
About AMS Executive Search
Executive Search at AMS has been delivering executive search and leadership advisory services for over 30 years to 190 clients across diverse industries, including life sciences, banking, and energy.
We deliver around 100 searches annually across 6 continents, leveraging our unparalleled global expertise as part of AMS, world leader in talent solutions. Our deep industry insights combined with specialisms in areas such as digital transformation, ESG and DEIB, allow us to address our partners' strategic needs while shaping the future of leadership and workplace culture.
Our focus is long-term value rather than one-off placements, with solutions carefully tailored to each client’s unique needs; we appoint leaders who meet immediate requirements and are strategically aligned with long-term vision. By integrating advanced technologies, AI-driven insights and our commitment to diversity, we push the boundaries of traditional executive search, identifying and placing leaders who drive innovation, foster cultural evolution and ensure sustainable business success.
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