Why Senior Hires Don’t Fail Straight Away - They Drift

Six months in, something feels off. Twelve months in, you’re back in the market.

Most poor leadership hires we see aren’t about capability. They’re about alignment.

The brief shifts halfway through the process. Expectations aren’t properly defined. Decisions get made on instinct rather than evidence.

At that level, that’s where things go wrong.

A few things that consistently make the difference:

• Being brutally clear on what success actually looks like (not just the job spec)

• Testing how someone has handled similar situations before, not just what they say they’d do

• Getting multiple perspectives into the process, not just one decision-maker

• Proper referencing that goes beyond surface-level checks

A simple way we tend to think about it is roughly 70% proven delivery, 30% upside.

Experience matters, but so does how someone adapts, influences, and fits the environment they’re walking into.

Data and process help, but senior hiring still comes down to judgement. The difference is whether that judgement is informed or rushed.

The reality is, the gap between a good hire and a poor one isn’t obvious at interview stage. It shows up later in pace, trust, and alignment.

The more honest and structured the process upfront, the fewer surprises later.

If you’re hiring at senior level and want a second view on a brief or process, happy to share what we’re seeing across the market.