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Explore the evolving landscape of Executive Research and Organizational Development. Our articles offer hands-on strategies for, attracting top talent, shaping leadership, and driving meaningful change.

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Navigating International Searches: The Significance of Cultural Fit

The world is big and complicated. And the wider we search for the best candidates, the more things become important for a perfect fit. It can make the fit even better, the search more promising but the pitfalls are ever so illustrious. Let’s take a very simple example: A Finnish CEO might have a totally different idea about the perfect cultural fit than the Swiss executive search agency. And Finland and Switzerland don’t seem that far apart, right? Well, until the candidate arrives and hugs all the people in the conference room…In today's interconnected world, organizations are incre

Updated 2 years ago

The promise of efficiency through AI – and the reality

I recently learned in a talk, that essentially since the 70s, rationalization, automatization and the growing number of tools have not significantly improved productivity – on the contrary. I found that very interesting and can actually – on a small scale – support this observation. In our quest for efficiency, we often turn to tools and technologies that promise to streamline our workflows. However, the reality often fails to deliver on these promises. And since the current trend of AI tools opens a whole new chapter, I wanted to take a closer look.Temptation vs. reality</st

Updated 2 years ago

Please don’t write me! The Problem with Annoying Mass Mails on LinkedIn

Oh, how we all love those messages. A seemingly harmless and maybe even half-way decent connection, a short message and there it is, 2-3 messages in, the blunt, annoying, unsolicited and 99% of the time useless (for me) service that I should totally get/buy/subscribe to. I’m not against forming connections on LinkedIn – a powerful professional networking platform – at all. In fact, I like the platform for being an essential tool for connecting with like-minded professionals, exploring career opportunities, and expanding our business networks. However, amidst the vast potential for meaningfu

Updated 3 years ago

Let’s meet in-person – why it makes all the difference!

In today's digital age, where virtual connections and online platforms dominate our social and professional interactions, it's easy to overlook the value of in-person networking. However, despite the convenience and reach of online networking, there are still compelling reasons why face-to-face interactions remain essential for personal and professional growth.First and foremost, in-person networking allows for genuine and authentic connections. That’s an experience that I keep making again and again. Meeting someone in real life enables us to pick up on subtle cues such as body lang

Updated 3 years ago

You, I, we all work too much!

Let’s talk about something we all face. There is just so much to be done! As the world becomes more complex and competitive, the workload of people in leading positions – and all positions for that matter – continues to increase. Whether you are a CEO, manager, or team leader, etc., the demands on your time and attention can be overwhelming. Let’s explore why workload increases for people in leading positions and what can be done to deal with it.How did we get here?There are several reasons. One of the primary reasons is that as organizations grow and become m

Updated 3 years ago

Let’s talk about lifelong learning… and AI

I’m sure you’ve read quite some things about ChatGPT and all that. And maybe you’re even a bit tired of it? Let me give you a break – not quite yet! In today's rapidly changing business landscape, companies that want to stay competitive must embrace life-long learning, right? The importance of continuous education cannot be overstated. And that brings me to the point: especially when it comes to understanding emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), C-level executives and board members must stay informed and educated – which is, quite frankly, easier said than done.<p

Updated 3 years ago

The dying wish for a career – can we dig out the generation contract?

I recently read an article written by a young woman, explaining why she didn’t strive for a career. Why indeed she thought we should stop working altogether and enjoy some unemployment. Of course the article was probably meant to ruffle some feathers but it got me thinking: Do we actually still have something of a "generation contract"?What contract do generations have?The "generation contract" is a concept that refers to the social and economic expectations and obligations that exist between different generations. It is a kind of unwritten agreement between d

Updated 3 years ago

Money, money, money – why don’t we just pay people more?!

As an executive search consultant, I look at salaries in from many different angles. Especially lately with the ever-tightening candidate market and increasing difficulties filling positions, it seems to be fair game in the salary expectations. But there’s more to it – and there’s economic realities – something that concerns us all! Such as these:Salaries are on the rise – and dropA recent economic outlook by OECD showed how much real wages are declining in relation to inflation in the different OECD countries. Between the beginning of July and the

Updated 3 years ago

Executive Search trends for 2023

If you ask me to characterize 2022 with just one word, I’ll go with “extreme”. And perhaps “uncertain”. Aftermath of the pandemic, rampant inflation, raging war – all of those are factors that are changing and influencing the business climate keeping the race for hiring senior talent remain extremely strong. Now, as another challenging year is coming to its end, let’s take a look at where current trends lay and what the important takeaways for the upcoming (hopefully less challenging or at least more certain) year are.Retirement wave and post-pandemic supply shorta

Updated 3 years ago

Are job ads dead?

We are fortunate to navigate an industry of major growth! So far so good. Growth, innovation and disruption call for a great number of talented people and some fine leadership to be able to keep up. And you might have noticed, times are changing. The job market is not an easy beast to tame, nor is it a calm pond, where every swing of a fishing rod gets you the exact fish you need. The process involves sifting through multitudes of candidates in order to understand thoroughly where objectives and expectations of both - a client and a candidate - align. It means identifying, targeting, assess

Updated 3 years ago