During the early days of the pandemic, I received a call from a UK-based client who needed to hire a CEO to launch their startup in the U.S. The ask was... ambitious.
They needed someone who could build a company from scratch, develop a go-to-market strategy, run the operations, build and lead a team, and also fundraise—all while serving as the bridge between an international parent company and a brand-new U.S. operation.
Oh, and it had to be someone who understood a natural product brand, had led a brand innovation, demonstrated the ability to be entrepreneurial and ideally created a new category in the grocery space. Basically, they needed a unicorn with a passport, charisma, commercial chops, and startup grit. No big deal, right?
Three weeks later, we delivered five candidates.
When every candidate can do the job
Here’s the thing: all five candidates could do the job. On paper, they had the pedigree. One had been a president in wine and spirits. Another had led growth at a legacy natural product company. One came from oral care, another from clean beauty. They were all compelling in their own ways—but the nuances made all the difference.
That’s what executive search is really about: nuance. The search isn’t over when you find five people who check the boxes. It’s just getting started.
I intentionally introduced the person I believed was the right fit as the third candidate. Not because I doubted him but because I wanted the client to have the contrast. To see what potential looks like next to polish. To help the client realize what mattered most.
The least obvious candidate on paper
The third candidate had never been a CEO. He wasn’t the most senior or the most “traditionally qualified.” But he had built a gut health company from the ground up as COO. He’d worked in a greenfield environment, solved complex logistics problems, developed new channels, and led through ambiguity. He had high EQ, a curious mind, and the kind of humility that makes experimentation possible.
He hadn’t pitched investors before but he’d pitched a board. And he saw that as a challenge, not a disqualifier.
He was the only one who didn’t come in with an overly polished pitch. Instead, he asked thoughtful questions. He connected dots. He listened.
And by the end of the interview, the client knew: this was the guy.
What this teaches us about executive hiring
It’s easy to default to the “safe” and initially obvious choice - the candidate who has already done the exact job you’re hiring for, somewhere else. But in today’s business environment, where the landscape is shifting daily, what you often need is someone who knows how to navigate the unknown.
Resumes don’t reveal instincts. They don’t show humility. They don’t reflect someone’s willingness to learn, their agility, or how they respond when the playbook doesn’t exist. They also don’t help you understand how someone inspires others.
These are the qualities that make a leader last. And they’re exactly what I help my clients spot.
That’s also why I build space into the process for contrast, so you don’t just evaluate who’s most impressive, but actually who’s most aligned with your mission, your culture, and your goals.
The power of placement at the right moment
I always tell my clients: you’re not hiring a resume. You’re hiring a person - someone whose impact will echo long after they accept the offer.
The CEO we placed in this role had the most to gain and the least to lose. He was hungry, grounded, and open. He’s now thriving, not because he was the most obvious pick, but because he was the most right for the moment.
And that’s the distinction that matters most in executive search.
If you're wrestling with a high-stakes search and you're not sure how to spot the difference between good and great, let's talk. The best candidate might not be the one you're expecting—and that's where we come in.
The quiet qualities that make the loudest impact
After two decades of placing leaders, here's what I know for sure: the safe choice is rarely the most transformative one.
The candidates who make the biggest impact aren’t always the ones with the flashiest titles or the longest list of credentials. They’re the ones who understand your challenge, embrace the learning curve, and are ready to grow and lead with you.
That kind of fit doesn’t show up on a resume. It shows up in the questions they ask, the risks they’re willing to take, and the way they light up when they talk about what’s possible. They’re the ones who answer the question “why did you do it that way?” with authenticity, brains, and heart.
And spotting that? That’s the real work of executive search—and research supports it. In fact, a 2022 report from McKinsey & Company found that companies prioritizing potential over pedigree in leadership roles were significantly more likely to outperform peers in innovation and adaptability. Those leaders, it turns out, are better equipped to grow into evolving roles and build resilient teams for the long haul.
So when you’re weighing a decision, remember: the most meaningful differentiators aren’t always visible in a CV. They’re also not always visible in a first meeting – especially if the interviewer asks standard, conventional questions.
Creative and unexpected questions, that get to the why and the how, can elicit candidate qualities that are hiding in plain sight. And pay attention to the questions a candidate asks, the way they navigate ambiguity, the way they show up with authenticity, and how they have grown beyond their roles in previous jobs. Usually, these people will be your best bet.
This is what we search for. Because these quiet qualities? They’re often the ones that deliver the loudest results.
