Cornerstone International Group

Artificial Intelligence continues to dominate headlines, but within mid-market organizations, the conversation tends to be far more practical.

Leaders are not asking abstract questions about the future of AI. Instead, they are asking very specific ones:

Where should we start? What value can AI realistically deliver?
And how can we adopt these tools without introducing unnecessary risk?

These questions were at the center of a recent Cornerstone global roundtable discussion among executive search leaders advising mid-market companies across multiple industries and regions. The conversation revealed a clear pattern. While AI adoption is accelerating, progress varies widely depending on governance, culture, and leadership readiness.

Many organizations are moving beyond early experimentation and are beginning to incorporate AI into operational processes. At the same time, mid-market companies must navigate adoption with fewer resources than large enterprises, which makes prioritization especially important.

As one participant noted:

“AI isn’t experimental anymore – it’s operational. Leaders either adopt it or risk being passed by.”

From the discussion, seven key themes emerged.

1. AI Is Becoming Operational

For many organizations, AI tools are already embedded in everyday workflows. What began as curiosity or experimentation is increasingly becoming part of routine operations.

However, AI adoption often occurs incrementally. Rather than enterprise-wide transformation, many mid-market companies introduce AI through targeted operational improvements.

2. AI Adoption Starts with Practical Use Cases

Most organizations begin with applications that produce clear, immediate benefits. These frequently include:

• Administrative efficiency
• Back-office workflows
• HR processes and recruiting support
• Sales and marketing assistance

These practical use cases allow companies to build internal familiarity with AI while demonstrating measurable value.

3. AI Implementation Is “All of the Above”

Few organizations rely on a single approach when implementing AI. Instead, most combine several strategies simultaneously:

• Upskilling existing employees
• Hiring specialized talent where necessary
• Partnering with external vendors or technology providers

This blended approach allows organizations to move forward while balancing speed, expertise, and cost.

4. AI Governance Remains a Major Bottleneck

One of the most consistent themes from the roundtable was the importance of AI governance.

Mid-market companies are increasingly aware of risks related to data security, confidentiality, regulatory compliance, and intellectual property. As a result, organizations often slow adoption until they establish clear policies regarding:

• AI tool selection and vendor evaluation
• Data usage guidelines
• Security and compliance standards
• Responsible AI policies

In many cases, governance, not technology, becomes the primary constraint.

5. Culture Drives AI Adoption

Technology alone does not determine whether AI initiatives succeed. Organizational culture plays an equally important role.

Companies that adopt AI successfully often share several characteristics:

• Leadership support for experimentation
• Internal champions advocating for adoption
• A willingness to test small pilots before scaling
• A culture that encourages learning rather than penalizing failure

Without these cultural elements, even promising AI initiatives can stall.

6. Leadership Profiles Are Evolving

The growing presence of AI is beginning to influence leadership expectations.

Importantly, this does not mean that every executive must become a technologist. Instead, organizations increasingly value leaders who demonstrate:

• Intellectual curiosity
• Adaptability
• Comfort with emerging technologies
• The ability to guide teams through change

In many ways, AI amplifies leadership traits that were already becoming more important in a rapidly changing business environment.

7. Artificial Intelligence ROI Is Still Emerging

While some organizations have already realized measurable productivity gains from AI, many mid-market firms still view adoption as a longer-term investment.

Rather than expecting immediate cost savings, companies often focus on building internal capabilities to position themselves for future competitive advantage.

What This Means for Mid-Market Leaders

The roundtable discussion reinforced an important point: mid-market companies do not need to solve AI adoption all at once.

The most effective organizations typically begin with focused, practical applications that deliver clear benefits. From there, they establish governance frameworks, expand internal capabilities, and gradually integrate AI into broader operations.

Over the next several years, AI fluency will likely become a standard expectation for many leadership roles. The organizations that benefit most will be those led by individuals who combine strategic thinking, curiosity, and the ability to guide teams through change.

At its core, AI adoption is not simply a technology issue. It is a leadership and organizational challenge.

And that is where talent decisions will increasingly matter.

Cornerstone International Group works with organizations worldwide to identify leaders who can guide companies through periods of transformation. As technologies like AI reshape industries, leadership capabilities will continue to play a central role in determining which organizations adapt most successfully.

AI is a topic at the forefront of most conversations today. To better understand why it is so important and the overall impact it will have on mid-sized organizations, Cornerstone recently hosted a roundtable of senior consultants from around the globe, who discussed the impact AI is having on their clients’ organizations and how AI is shaping talent requirements today and into the future. 

Most notably, the conversations highlighted talent as the key factor in AI’s successful implementation and surfaced crucial leadership characteristics.

Please join us over the next few weeks as we share insights and questions from this roundtable. What is clear is that AI will continue to impact organizations in many ways. What is continuing to emerge is how organizations must adapt.

Frankfurt, Germany — January 5, 2026 — Cornerstone International Group today announced the official opening of its Frankfurt office, as a strategic European hub alongside the appointment of Florian Kittler as Global Sector Head—Hospitality, Travel & Leisure.

The expansion reflects increasing demand from Hospitality, Travel, and Lifestyle organizations for leadership partners who combine global reach with deep sector expertise, as the industry navigates international growth, digital transformation, and evolving client expectations.

Cornerstone operates more than 60 offices across over 40 countries, advising boards, owners, and senior leadership teams on executive search, executive coaching, leadership development, and talent strategy. The Frankfurt office marks the firm’s second location in Germany, following Düsseldorf, strengthens the firm’s ability to deliver globally integrated, culturally attuned leadership solutions across Europe and beyond.

“Hospitality is fundamentally a people business, yet it is facing unprecedented complexity,” said Simon Wan, Chairman and CEO of Cornerstone International Group. “By appointing Florian Kittler to head our Frankfurt office as Managing Partner while leading our Global Hospitality, Travel & Leisure practice, we are reinforcing our commitment to delivering sector-specific, globally integrated leadership solutions that help clients grow without losing their human core.”

The Frankfurt office will focus on Hospitality & Leisure, Travel & Tourism, Consumer Services, Restaurants, Lifestyle Brands, and adjacent sectors, providing clients with full access to Cornerstone’s integrated global talent platform.

Dan Heiman, Global President of Cornerstone International Group, added, “Frankfurt is one of Europe’s most internationally connected and economically influential cities. It provides a strong base from which we can support our international clientele operating across regions, while further strengthening Cornerstone’s European presence. We are also pleased to welcome YK Hospitality Consulting, founded in 2020, into the Cornerstone International Group.”

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Florian Kittler brings over three decades of international experience across luxury hospitality, executive search, and leadership advisory, having worked closely with owners, operators, and investors across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. As an ICF-certified Executive Coach, he integrates executive coaching directly into senior leadership search, succession, and transition mandates.

“As hospitality organizations expand globally, leaders must balance new demands with the service DNA that defines the industry,” said Kittler. “Our role is to help boards and executives build leadership teams that perform across markets — and sustain performance over time.”

From Shanghai to Frankfurt—Cornerstone is deeply embedded in local business culture, and committed to global excellence: global standards, local relationships.

There are numerous theories about leadership, and most of us believe in at least one or a combination of several. A common statement I hear from people actively searching for jobs is that they have developed transferable skills from one industry to another. They assume that those skills qualify them to be successful in most leadership roles. On the surface, this may be accurate, but it is not straightforward. There is some risk in accepting a leadership role in another organization or hiring a senior leader from outside your industry. How can you be sure there will be a successful transition?

What is Your Leadership style?

In evaluating any possible new organization, that may be the most important single question you can ask yourself. Do you prefer being strategic, with big-picture thinking that inspires others? Are you more tactical, taking a hands-on approach while focusing on outcomes, or are you more of a team-builder, relying on collaboration to attain goals? All of these describe styles of successful leaders. Most leaders use more than one style, depending on the situation, but usually one is used most often, relying on it in challenging situations.

While many things make them successful, including personal traits that fit into our rapidly changing world, the determining factor in their success is their leadership style. That seems like a simplistic approach, but it makes sense when it is recognized that most leadership failures occur because the individual approached the role in a way that conflicts with the organization’s expectations. In other words, the leader’s style did not fit the organization’s culture. Various studies have shown that up to half of executive transitions fail at the two-year mark. A McKenzie & Company article attributed 68% of these failures to politics, culture, and people issues. A leader’s inability to navigate the unwritten cultural norms and internal politics often breeds mistrust and resistance.

Evaluating Fit on Both Sides of the Interview Table

Looking for this fit should be an underlying objective of every interview. While candidates often focus on the company, the leadership team, and the specific role during the interview process, which are all “must-haves” for a successful fit, the most critical question is whether their leadership style is compatible with the organization. 

Organizations interview candidates to determine how well they will perform in the role. Similarly, candidates should evaluate the organization to see how the position aligns with their career goals. Interview questions asked by both the interviewer and the candidate should have the intent of better understanding this fit. Some organizations also use assessments that help to identify how individuals fit. One of these, EBW Global (Emotions at Business and Work), has developed a meta-traits lens that examines an individual’s Self-Awareness and Impression Management. When leadership style and company culture are important aspects of the recruiting process, the organization and the individual are more likely to achieve long-term success.

What to Consider in a Job Search

If you are in an active job search, one of the most important questions to consider for success is, “What type of leader are you?” Your answer will help identify the work culture where you will likely thrive. With this understanding, you can approach interviews with the knowledge needed to determine if a particular role will suit you. However, this question should not be limited to those actively seeking a new challenge. Everyone who is, or wants to be, on a leadership track should ask themselves this question. Knowing this about yourself will help maximize your career trajectory (and minimize missteps) and is equally important to those in mid-career and at the most senior leadership levels.   

Having specific knowledge of how to do things is not enough to ensure success in a leadership role. Key factors include strong communication skills, the ability to work effectively with your team, adaptability, curiosity, accountability, and, most importantly, a leadership style that aligns with the organization’s needs.

Culture Fit or Industry Knowledge?

Yes, you can successfully change industries because industry knowledge is not as essential as finding the right fit. Ensure your leadership style fits the organization’s culture, and you will discover the right role.

Organizations that prioritize “fit” in their hiring priorities often rely on retained executive search firms to help them be certain they are evaluating appropriate candidates. With our extensive global network and strong local knowledge, Cornerstone International Group can deliver a panel of candidates from the broadest possible geographical areas, focusing on all the traits and characteristics essential for success in a specific organization. A candidate’s leadership style is part of our assessment and presentation.     

It is Teamwork that remains the Ultimate Competitive Advantage – both because it is so powerful and so rare.

In the late 1960s, I began hearing the words “Teamwork” and “Work Team” in a business setting. While many of the ideas had been around since the 1920s, increased prosperity in the United States created urgent demands for faster automobile assembly. At the same time, growing customer interests required better-looking and performing cars that could be purchased at lower prices.

Two important results from these demands became Ford Mustangs and Workplace Production teams.  

Both are still with us and growing stronger in 2025.

Workplace Production Teams

Workplace 2025 teams are most often recognized as manufacturing or “assembly line teams” and defined as “groups of individuals (human or not) working together to achieve their goals.”  These groups function interdependently with respect to information, resources, knowledge, and skills while combining their efforts, skills, knowledge, and talents to achieve common Company achievement goals.  

At the same time, and critically important to any business teamwork success, the Company’s CEO and their key top Executives are working inside their own “team” to guide and support each other and steer their department members tasked to support and fulfill daily business needs. True “total team support” is only achieved when every member of the organization understands, supports, and honestly embraces their team’s goals and objectives.  This type of dedication and support for team challenge must be initiated and continually sustained by the very top management.

In both versions of modern “Teamwork” circumstances, the members have complementary skills and diverse opinions or points of view that they use to generate synergy, innovative solutions, and creative problem-solving. Ideally, a team’s coordinated efforts allow each member to maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses through their time of working together. 

Individual task assignments are generally distributed based on each member’s greatest strengths to improve efficiency and speed up task completion. Ideally, everyone learns to help each other, and every member has the opportunity to realize their true potential and move beyond individual limitations.  

Even at the very top “C” levels, genuine teamwork can easily remain as elusive as it ever was.

This is not easy and doesn’t just happen automatically

Communication in Teams, Essential as Ever

Regular, frequent, honest communication and team interaction among all members is absolutely essential to achieve clarity and reduce the possibility of misunderstanding and errors of judgment. It is expected that the Workplace teams will improve the individual members’ skills as they all enjoy more opportunities to learn from each other.  

In 2025’s dynamic business environment, organizations of all sizes believe effective teamwork is essential for their continued success.  They freely acknowledge top benefits provided will be:

• More Creativity & Innovative Thinking
• Greater Creative Problem-solving and Inventive Solutions
• Efficiency and Productivity Increases
• Quicker Task Completion
• Greater Agility and Adaptability
• Product and Service Quality Improves
• Stronger Company Culture & Business Culture are Built
• Challenges are addressed more efficiently
• Risk-taking created with more confidence

Most importantly, Workplace teams enhance total Employee well-being

Businesses with established, high-functioning Executive and Manufacturing Teams tend to be recognized as dynamic and forward-thinking. In turn, these innovative, resilient business environments are often identified as more desirable places to work.  

Prospective employees believe that members of successfully functioning teams inside a prosperous business offer more opportunities to improve their professional recognition, enjoy future growth with more job satisfaction, and greater chances to display their personal leadership potential.   

In every good workplace team environment, adaptability, change, and challenge are built and strengthened daily to actively encourage the generation of creative ideas with open discussion among peers and achieve faster customer responses with improved product and service quality. Employees inside successful Company teams enjoy a greater sense of purpose, more feelings of shared ownership, and harmonious work environments.  

Companies with these types of employee teams also report lower cost management structures, lower absentee levels, and lower employee turnover rates.   

 “If you could get all the people in an organization rowing the boat in the same direction, you could dominate any industry, in any market, against any competition at any time.”  

“That is where the rarity of teamwork comes into play.   In most businesses, teamwork is as elusive now as it has ever been.” Patrick Lencioni

The next decade will define the future of manufacturing in ways few could have predicted. While global giants often dominate the headlines, mid-sized and smaller manufacturing organizations form the backbone of local and regional economies and are less prepared for ongoing disruption. Since these companies are often an integral part of the community, their success has a large impact on the overall health of the area. One factor that will matter more than any other for their survival is leadership.

The nature of leadership in manufacturing is changing. New pressures demand new mindsets. Hiring the right leaders is more than difficult – it’s mission-critical. This article explores the top three future challenges these organizations face, the leadership characteristics needed to address them, and the five most significant hurdles in bringing such leaders on board.

Three Major Challenges Shaping the Future of Manufacturing

Digital Transformation & Automation

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The fourth industrial revolution is not only here, but it is accelerating. We are moving from robotics and machine learning to real-time production monitoring. Digital is reshaping how things are made. Large organizations are at the forefront of these changes, but many mid-sized manufacturers are either beginning the journey or contemplating it. Smart manufacturing is becoming a way of life.  

Companies need leaders to accomplish this. And these leaders must understand technology. They do not have to be technical experts, but they must understand technology’s impact. These leaders will:

• Be capable of aligning automation with the business.
• Bridge the gap between IT and operations, uniting teams around change.
• Manage digital transitions while keeping appropriate legacy systems and employees.

This unique blend of technical comfort and people-centered change management is rare but essential.  

Workforce Evolution & Labor Gaps

Manufacturers face a widening labor shortage. As baby boomers retire, attracting younger, skilled workers is a growing challenge. Many do not view manufacturing as a sound career.  

Tomorrow’s leaders must build both talent and culture. Here are traits to look for:

• Empathy provides the ability to motivate both seasoned workers and Gen Z. 
• Strong mentorship skills, especially for developing internal high-potential talent.
• Inclusive leadership style

Leaders must be able to drive productivity while humanizing the workplace.  

Global Supply Chain Disruptions & Resilience

Global supply chains are vulnerable. Pandemics, political instability, and tariffs create chaos. For mid-sized firms, which often operate with limited buffers, disruption can be disastrous.  

The next generation of manufacturing leaders must be proficient at operational agility. These leaders will:

• Proactively embrace risk mitigation.
• Build supplier diversity strategies to minimize dependency.
• Stay calm under pressure while acting decisively in moments of crisis.

Future-ready leaders anticipate volatility, not just respond to it.

The Five Biggest Challenges to Hiring These Leaders

First, mid-sized manufacturers must understand the need for evolved leadership. After making this decision, hiring the right individuals is far from simple. Here are the top five challenges organizations face in recruiting and onboarding the talent needed.

Culture Fit vs. Change Agent Conflict

Companies often prize cultural fit, but the very leaders who can drive transformation may challenge the status quo. There’s a delicate balance between preserving what works and inviting necessary disruption. A key question that must be answered is: Can your culture handle a disruptor—or will it resist them?

When hiring, there must be an explicit agreement. Do you want a change agent or a consensus builder? Unfortunately, sometimes the organization says it wants both, but in practice, it resists either. In colloquial terms – you can’t have your cake and eat it too!

Cost of Top Talent

Talented leaders come at a price. For smaller manufacturers competing with Fortune 500 firms, matching compensation packages can be daunting, usually impossible. However, other things can be meaningful to the right individuals. Here are some suggestions:

• Meaningful impact: purpose-driven leaders often value influence more than anything.
• Flexibility: autonomy, location independence, or custom schedules can be attractive.
• Creative compensation: equity, profit-sharing, signing and performance bonuses help close gaps.

For the candidates mid-sized manufacturers need to attract, it is not just about the paycheck, it’s about the entire value proposition.

Limited Internal HR Infrastructure

Many mid-sized manufacturers have smaller HR departments and, as a result, have limited executive recruiting resources. Senior-level hiring may be the responsibility of the owner or an HR generalist.  They may not have a structured search and onboarding process.  As a result, mistakes can multiply. Here are some of the risks:

• Limited selection due to a small pool of potential candidates
• Rushed decisions based on “gut feel.”
• Incomplete onboarding that leads to early exits
• Missed alignment on expectations and authority

Partnering with an experienced executive search firm can bring the needed rigor, market insight, and a broad search to identify many potential candidates who fit the requirements.  

Fear of Overqualification

Decision-makers at mid-sized organizations may be apprehensive that candidates with experience from much larger organizations will struggle to adapt.  If frustration builds, the new hire may leave quickly. While that’s a concern, it can be overcome by making certain the interview focuses on the candidate, and understanding their motivations. 

An experienced executive can bring immense value if:

• They genuinely want a smaller stage where they can have a broader impact.
• The company provides clarity of role and vision.
• There’s mutual respect and room for trust to grow.

Don’t let fear of overqualification block access to transformative talent. 

Just be certain your vision and the candidates’ aspirations are compatible.

Board or Owner Misalignment

In privately held firms or family-run businesses, as well as other mid-sized organizations, if key stakeholders have different visions for success, decision-making is slowed. One partner might value growth at all costs; another prefers stability. Such conflicts may hinder recruitment efforts and contribute to employee turnover after hiring. 

There are approaches every organization should take: 

• Agree on the role and responsibilities before starting a search.
• Agree on the leadership profile.
• Use external consultants to support discussions and arrive at alignment.
• Ensure transparency throughout the hiring process.

A misaligned board can derail even the best hire. Alignment is the silent accelerant of success.

Positioning for Leadership Success

For mid-sized manufacturers, there’s good news: these challenges are solvable. With planning and the right partners, you can build a ready leadership pipeline for the future. Here are steps to consider:  

• Invest in succession planning and internal leadership development now—not when the crisis hits.
• Define what makes your company’s mission compelling to top-tier talent. That’s your Brand, and that’s what you are “selling.”
• Work with partners who understand the manufacturing space and the nuances of scaling leadership.

It’s not about copying the big players. It’s about being clear on what you offer—and bold in going after who you need.

Conclusion: Your Future is Built on Leadership

It is easy to underestimate mid-sized and smaller manufacturing companies because of their unique challenges. Nonetheless, these organizations possess significant advantages that many larger firms may lack: agility, authenticity, opportunities for meaningful contribution, and strong connections to the communities they serve.  That’s attractive to the appropriate candidates.

The road ahead has many twists and turns, but with the right leaders—those who embrace change, build inclusive teams, and navigate uncertainty with grace—these companies won’t just survive. They’ll lead the way.

The question is not just who you hire.

It’s whether you’re ready to let them lead.

“Ideal new hires are people who embody your company values.”

– David Cohen

“Over time, a company’s values define its work-life culture.”

We have defined values as “firmly held beliefs that are emotionally charged, resistant to change, and universally applied.”

Today, most employers have established key strategies such as onboarding plans, assigned mentors, and fostering team integration through continuous feedback to support newly hired employees and align them with the organization’s culture and goals. While all these actions are important, the steps taken during the recruiting process can further ensure a new hire’s success. When new employees embrace the company’s values, they quickly assimilate into the organization. In this context, hiring the best talent means selecting individuals whose personal traits, values, and behaviors are compatible with the organization—what is referred to as “fit to behaviors.”

“Fit to behaviors” is a relatively new business concept that identifies the organizational values and behaviors representative of the entire team. The more compatible a person’s values are with their environment, the greater their “fit.”

In organizations built around a “fit to behavior” team, values go beyond just marketing slogans on a website or tired mantras in company literature. Instead, these values become intrinsic ways of being for the best employees, who in turn share their culture and company values with everyone they interact with, fellow employees, vendors, and customers worldwide. This results in an increase in employee and customer retention.

While skills and experience are always essential hiring criteria, other factors are equally important. People come into an organization with diverse life experiences and various geographic and family backgrounds. This diversity is beneficial when the right individual joins the team. Ultimately, the key to successful hiring is finding individuals whose behaviors align with the company’s values. These individuals will act in the Company’s best interest, regardless of the circumstances.

Cornerstone International Group celebrated its 35th anniversary at the annual conference held last month in Rhodes, Greece. More than 60 members of the Cornerstone Family enjoyed the beautiful location while sharing, learning, collaborating, and recognizing individual achievements and contributions.

An award was introduced and presented to the following firms/individuals who have been part of Cornerstone for 20 years or more:

• Cornerstone Athens: Nikos Yannoulatos
• Cornerstone Bucharest: Cristina Pasat
• Cornerstone India: Vijay Karkare
• Cornerstone Nordics: Goran Jansson
• Cornerstone Peru: Diego Cubas, Manuel Cubas, Sandra Cubas
• Cornerstone China: Simon Wan
• Cornerstone Atlanta: Larry Shoemaker

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These members, have been the foundation of Cornerstone and attest to the organization’s global reach and success.

In an era where change is constant, it is uncommon for any organization, especially one comprised of independently owned firms, to foster a culture that encourages long-term member engagement. Our vision of support, sharing, learning, collaborating, and truly appreciating our partners, combined with a forward-looking approach, enables each member to serve their clients more effectively.

Business Professionals all over the world are generally comfortable making and executing plans very quickly.  They create them almost daily for their assigned projects or company success, as well as accomplishing their personal desires and family goals.  Sometimes, it seems as though our entire modern world is governed and run by plans. We all plan, revise it once or twice, and push it forward as an “achieve success” path for ourselves and families.   

• Sometimes everything works.
• Other times plans may falter or even fail though careful thought and execution was in place.

Often it feels as if our external world’s life expands and grows more complicated and increases in complexity daily.   Large- scale, random events just pop up from nowhere, completely disrupting our life in the moment and impacting future events.  

Major large catastrophic life events usually make us feel small, fragile, raw and uncertain.  Instantly, we’re forced to carry burdens that seem too big and heavy in another world that’s suddenly empty of everything that once mattered. This is hard.  This hurts. The worse part of all is you didn’t even see it coming. We stand in pain, afraid of our own weakness.   

If the situation I described above feels a little too familiar, let me first remind you that you will survive the catastrophic event and most likely come out of it as a better version of your current self. Most importantly, you alone have the power to decide to recover.  To help you get started, I recommend a book guide for your journey.  

Answers to your Help!! call, can be found in “Didn’t See THAT Coming” by Rachel Hollis. 

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She presents her ideas in straightforward language with wit and humor.  Laughter and sorrow can be found in this non-fiction book that was written during the 2020 pandemic.  “Didn’t See THAT Coming” addresses the personal and professional challenges of running an event business during a times with no gatherings while also being divorced by the father of her four children.  Based upon her experiences, she affirms that all of us are strong enough to work through external upheaval and personal pain if we become courageous enough to examine and confront our own weakness and vulnerability.  

“Didn’t See THAT Coming” assumes the readers have some major part of their world turned inside-out and are determined to find a way back.  Advice is presented in three parts but I’m only discussing Part 1 now.  Part 2 and Part 3 will follow in later posts.

1. What to Do Today   2. What to do Tomorrow   3. What to Do Forever

These are her recommended action steps to begin recovering from one of life’s biggest blows.

• Admit it is impossible to move forward before acknowledging the terrible reality of where you are now, how frightening it is, how much we wish it wasn’t happening. 

• Give ourselves permission to be deeply disappointed because someone or something has failed to live up to our hopes or expectations.  

• Be honest about what’s going on even if only to you. Admit what you’re feeling, what you’re going through – polite or not. Be still and feel. Get real in your bones.  

• Don’t worry about what comes next; just survive the most difficult moments.  Exist in suspended reality without fearing that you’ll lose yourself.  What comes next doesn’t matter at this moment; anything longer than today is too long.  

• Being fine in the end will take tremendous effort in the present.  Stay present in your body and remember your strength.  Remember all the other parts of your life that are good.  “What’s been good will always be good; a job well done, a perfect cup of coffee.”

• Identify the new you.  After catastrophic loss or hardship, humans come out on the other side a changed person, but with a mind that is still processing what happened based upon who you were before, not who you are now.  

• At this stage, you get to choose who you will be going forward.  No one else gets to define you.  You are so much more than the trauma you’ve lived with (for example not just a cancer patient). If you feel like a creative genius, live into it.  Remind yourself daily who you are now.  

• Create boundaries for yourself and honor them. You’re in charge.

• Acknowledge that Identities evolve. Something earthshattering can happen.  And at other times we simply outgrow the identity we started with.  

• Stop questioning your suffering. Quit asking endless questions that are incredibly dangerous to your peace of mind during hardship or a crisis.  You are defined only by what you turn your pain into.  

Short notes on Disruption and Thriving

Words are interesting to me. They always have been whether they are used in spoken conversation or written form.  After a career spent around words in sales and marketing, I get particularly intrigued by words that appear and then disappear in the vernacular of “business speak” over time as we all attempt to understand and define our working world and the outcomes, experiences and successes we hope to achieve for ourselves, our families, our businesses, customer, products, and team members we serve.  

During the period of 2024-2025, my nominee for words of this era are “Disrupt and Disruption.”

Webster’s Dictionary tells us that Disruption is a “disturbance or problem” which interrupts an activity, event or process.  Disruption may also be radical change to an industry or market, (often due to technological innovation).  Disruption as used in Sociology refers to significant disturbance or breakdown in our normal social systems caused by events, conflicts, or crisis that results in radical transformation of societal norms, structures or power dynamics.  In all cases, old structures are falling away while something new is emerging and at the same time the social fabric of a community, business or society can be led into instability or conflict, breaking down social norms and relationships.  

In this modern, disruptive era, many businesses and their people are challenged to cope and deal with the experiences or feelings created by disruption.  I hope the Information we’re including from the book “Never Saw THAT Coming” will be useful to you personally and your colleagues as you evolve into Resilience and become capable of withstanding disruption with no permanent damage or rupture. 

There is a significant difference between a private company and a public one. It goes far beyond ownership; everything is different, creating unique challenges when private-owned companies consider their future. The talent requirements for a privately owned organization are as critical as those of a public company, but often, when filling senior roles, the importance of these differences is overlooked.  

Recognizing these differences will enhance success when a private company considers leadership candidates working in a public company.  

Time Horizon

Public companies live by their quarterly reports. They are accountable to their shareholders, many of whom expect prompt outcomes. Balancing long-term goals with short-term expectations is an ongoing challenge that impacts every decision.  

Private companies have fewer shareholders, often with similar goals, which typically have a longer-term perspective.  Decisions can usually prioritize the future, and while a sense of urgency is required, the short-term aspect is frequently tactical, assuring the longer-term objectives.

People 

The transition leaders make when going from a public to a private company is callenging.  While many find the idea of working in a longer-term focused organization attractive, the widely accepted belief is that the failure rate of this type of move is as high as 60-70%.  Although there is no dedicated research that statistically supports these figures for public-to-private transition, it is an indication of how difficult that move is.  Private companies must recognize this difference and consider it an integral part of recruiting.  Here are three critical considerations:

1. Look beyond the successful results candidates demonstrate to learn how they accomplished it. How significant were the available resources, and how does this compare with your organization.

2. Understand the decision-making process in the candidates’ current/prior organization.  How many others are involved, and how fast did it move?  Will the candidates have challenges being decisive and moving quickly?

3. What personal attributes do the candidates have that indicate they can quickly adapt? Communications within a public company often have structure and specific expectations, while many private companies may be less formal and broader. Communication is critical in smaller private companies with fewer stakeholders.

Approach

Recruiting talent into a private company requires focusing on the individuals you are considering.  Pay attention to the characteristics that made them successful.  There are instances when the “culture” made success possible, with the individual contributing but not driving the success.   Obtain this information with an effective, structured interview focusing on required personal traits for a fast-acting culture.

Agility: How does the candidate adapt to changing situations?  

Decisiveness: Is the candidate comfortable making decisions with limited data, recognizing that speed is critical?

Emotional Intelligence: Does the candidate communicate effectively and consider the impact on others in their thinking process?  Can they build strong interpersonal relationships?

Learning/Curiosity: Does the candidate consistently question and search for better ways to accomplish goals?

Personal characteristics may be identified and assessed through various psychometric evaluations, offering the interviewer a systematic approach to understanding how the candidate will perform within the organization. They are a valuable tool when used appropriately in the recruiting process.  A successful recruitment project hinges on the interviewer’s comprehensive understanding of the role and organization, as well as their insight into the attributes that contribute to individual success within the company culture.  Assessing a candidate’s fit is important for predicting their potential success.

The effort required to add leaders to your private organization successfully begins with a clear understanding of the role and its requirements. It continues when you evaluate several qualified, interested candidates against these criteria, recognizing why they have previously been successful.   

Cornerstone International Group has been “focusing on fit” for 35 years as we help clients recruit candidates who contribute to their long-term success. We identify key leadership traits and assess candidates accordingly. We deliver our services in most business centers around the globe through a network of locally owned partners who are experts in their geography. Clients rely on our local expertise and global reach.