Why it matters
When a senior appointment works, teams perform better, confidence grows and strategic objectives become achievable. When it doesn’t, progress slows, relationships strain and organisations often find themselves recruiting for the same role again far sooner than expected.
The success of an appointment is often decided long before the first interview takes place.
Where organisations go wrong
- Recruiting before defining success: the strongest organisations begin by agreeing what success will look like after twelve months.
- Recruiting for experience instead of outcomes: what matters most is whether someone has solved the challenge you face today.
- Confusing technical expertise with leadership capability: leadership is about influence, judgement and creating confidence through uncertainty.
- Underestimating cultural fit: skills secure interviews, but values sustain successful appointments.
Common recruitment mistakes
- Rushing appointments
- Involving too many decision makers
- Sending mixed messages to candidates
- Delaying feedback
- Failing to sell the opportunity
- Ignoring stakeholder alignment
- Treating onboarding as an administrative exercise
What successful organisations do differently
- Define success before writing the brief
- Align stakeholders early
- Assess values alongside capability
- Move decisively when they identify the right candidate
- Treat onboarding as part of recruitment
- View recruitment as a strategic investment, not a transaction
Oakmyre’s perspective
Organisations spend too much time asking “who can do this job?” and not enough asking “what does this organisation need from its next leader?”. Those are very different questions.
Recruitment doesn’t create successful leaders; it creates opportunities for the right leaders to succeed.
Key takeaways
- Successful appointments begin by defining success, not writing a job description.
- Leadership capability is just as important as technical experience.
- Culture and organisational fit should be assessed intentionally.
- Onboarding is where long-term success starts.