The Four I’s

Welcome to Headhunter Secrets, where I’ll share perspectives about the search business. We hope you’ll use our services to execute searches. Nonetheless, I wanted to give you some insights I’ve gained from doing search work since I was 23 years old.

Headhunter’s Secrets:
The Four I’s

Over 40 years of doing search work, you can imagine how many people I’ve interviewed, evaluated, placed and watched perform in their roles. Thousands, for sure.

To excel in search, one must seek to understand people and their desires and motivations. With this mindset and across thousands of conversations with candidates, I have observed that certain attributes consistently present in the best performers—in general, in virtually all working environments, and particularly in C-level roles. These people are adept at adapting to ever-evolving circumstances, from a rising-tide-lifts-all-ships environment to a rapidly-receding tide to stretches of smooth sailing—which, the best performers know, are ultimately always the calm before the next storm.

I call these attributes the Four I’s.

1. Intellect: The desire and capacity to learn

2. Intuition: The ability to read between the lines

3. Initiative: The innate drive to exceed expectations

4. Integrity: An unwavering resolve to do the right thing

I once did a CFO search for H-E-B, Texas’ dominant grocery store chain. To get that search, I had to sit down over lunch with the company’s CEO, Charles Butt. I described the Four I’s to Charles. He found them intriguing. They may have been what helped me clinch the search assignment.

Charles suggested I might want to add a fifth “I” to the group, “Interpersonal.” Interpersonal skills are essential to successful leadership and motivating and working productively with others, all of which are prerequisites of being a great C-level leader.

Over lunch, I agreed with Charles. He was correct—interpersonal skills are present in top performers. But since being agreeable with a client prospect is one way you win an engagement, I didn’t share with him what I really thought. Which is: If someone demonstrates competence across the Four I’s, he or she will naturally possess his fifth “I.”

1. Intellect: The desire and capacity to learn

2. Intuition: The ability to read between the lines

3. Initiative: The innate drive to exceed expectations

4. Integrity: An unwavering resolve to do the right thing

And, yes,

5. Interpersonal: The predilection to lead and work productively with people

Surround yourself with people who “score” high in these attributes, and the result of your efforts will be very rewarding.

Hope these insights are helpful.

We at Leyendecker have been doing search work for 40 years. We’ve completed over 100 C-level searches, most for CFOs. Most have been PE portfolio companies, but we’ve also helped owner/managed and publicly-held companies. Our placements  have helped their employers go through almost 50 successful liquidity events generating over $2B in investment returns for our clients. 

Keep us in mind when you seek talent that will get you over the goal line! Hope you have a great year!

Sincerely,
Doug

doug@leyendecker.com