Key Questions to Ask When Hiring a CEO

Key Questions to Ask When Hiring a CEO

According to the Harvard Business review, just three in five newly appointed CEOs live up to performance expectations in their first 18 months on the job.

Identifying the right leader for your organisation is one of the most difficult decisions a board will make and there are many questions to be asked along the way. This is a short guide to some of the questions you need to be able to answer to make the right appointment.

Some of the most important decisions will affect not just who you hire but who you don’t hire. Robust and thorough recruitment process helps mitigate the risk of appointing the wrong person.

What Kind of Leader Are We Searching For?

When it comes to leadership, job titles only scratch the surface. The CEO/Managing Director of an ASX-listed company is a world apart from one at a privately owned business. The COO of a national accounting firm brings a different skill set compared to a family-owned accounting practice COO.

So, What’s the Real Goal?
What are business owners truly seeking in this role?
Is our business in need of a major transformation or a steady hand to steer the ship?
Should our new leader align with industry norms or bring a fresh perspective?
Do we require a visionary strategist or a hands-on executor?
Is it about fitting into the current culture or shaping a new one?
Sales and growth driver or operational and compliance expert?

Recruitment shines a light on your business; a well-executed process elevates your profile, while a poorly handled one can tarnish your reputation.

Fairly identifying and evaluating internal prospects.
Turning down internal applicants while keeping morale intact.

Communicating with unsuccessful external candidates.
Managing market information—transparency or discretion?

Selecting the Right Fit

Choosing the ideal candidate requires more than gut instincts—it’s a scientific and objective process:

Comprehensive market search for the cream of the crop.
Ensuring the chosen candidate is truly the best fit.
Asking the right questions to uncover motivations.
Eliminating unconscious biases in the interview process. Contact us to read our report on Understanding Unconscious Bias.
Scientifically assessing character and behaviour.
Validating authenticity—what you see is what you get.

From the shortlist how do we decide who the right person is?

Evaluating candidates is a highly skilled and technical process, only so much reliance can be put on “gut feel” – there needs to be science and objective decision making markers.

• Have we searched the market thoroughly to identify the best possible candidate?
• Was this candidate the best or just the best we’ve seen?
• Have we asked the right questions to unearth the candidate’s motivations?
• Have we deployed sufficient steps in the interviewing process to avoid any unconscious bias? Contact us to read our report on Understanding Unconscious Bias.
• Have we scientifically assessed and evaluated the candidate’s character and likely behaviours?

Have we validated the candidate’s authenticity?

Key to getting the right person is being able to validate that the candidate is all they appear to be.

• Have we carried out the appropriate checks to validate that the candidate is who they say they are?
• Have we checked academic and professional accreditations?
• Have we been able to validate the referees via face to face reference checks?

If you would like more information to help you answer any of these questions, please contact Guy Sigston on 0477 013 841 or guy@lawsondelaney.com.au.