The CEO’s Non-Delegable Duty

Executive recruitment is not just another operational task; it is a core strategic responsibility that no CEO can afford to delegate. Let’s explore why this is critical.

Learning from the Past

In the early 2000s, global disruptions like Y2K, the dotcom bust, and September 11 sent shockwaves through economies worldwide. These events, combined with intense labor market pressures, ushered in a period of deepening uncertainty and complexity for businesses. Fast forward to today, and this complexity has only intensified, making strong leadership essential to navigate the challenges ahead.

Execution: The Ultimate Solution

In 2002, I read Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan. The book’s message was clear: success isn’t just about having a vision or strategy; it’s about disciplined execution. Execution, they argued, rests on three pillars: people, strategy, and operations. And without the right people in place, even the most meticulously crafted strategy will fail. This insight has only grown more relevant with time.

Strategic Leadership Starts with the Right People

Bossidy and Charan made a powerful point: without the right people, nothing else matters. A strong strategy is only as good as the people entrusted to carry it out. This is why recruiting the right leaders, particularly for senior roles, can’t be handed off. Talent acquisition isn’t just an HR task; it’s a core responsibility of leadership. When CEOs aren’t directly involved in these critical hires, they risk compromising their entire strategic vision from the outset.

The Reality Today

Bossidy and Charan’s insights remain as pertinent today as they were two decades ago. With globalization and rapid technological advances raising the stakes, the demand for leaders who align with strategic goals has never been greater. Yet in many organizations, recruitment is largely handed over to HR, with CEOs only involved in the final stages—if at all. While this may appear efficient, especially in large-scale recruitment, it introduces significant risks.

HR’s Strategic Role in Recruitment

As HR has assumed more responsibility for recruitment, a serious issue has emerged: HR is often not included in broader strategic discussions. When HR is kept apart from executive decision-making, there’s a real risk that hiring decisions won’t fully align with the organization’s strategic needs. This lack of alignment between recruitment and strategy can lead to critical gaps in leadership, undermining the company’s ability to achieve its long-term objectives.

Why Excluding HR from Strategy is a Costly Mistake

Across industries, HR leaders frequently report being left out of strategic decision-making. This is paradoxical: HR oversees vital functions like succession planning, recruitment, and organizational development—areas that should be priorities for senior leadership. Even Jack Welch, a staunch advocate for HR’s strategic role, would likely be alarmed by this disconnect. Too often, HR is tasked with implementing decisions made by others, rather than actively shaping them. In today’s competitive talent market, this disconnect leads to missed opportunities—and costly mistakes.

A Strategic Misstep

To address this, CEOs must ensure that HR is included in strategic conversations and decision-making. More importantly, CEOs must retain direct oversight of executive recruitment. Delegating senior leadership hiring to mid-level managers or functional heads, like the CFO or CHRO, is a serious misstep. These positions are too central to delegate. As CEO, your involvement in selecting your top leaders is essential to aligning your team with your vision and ensuring they’re equipped to drive it forward.

Recruitment: A Strategic Imperative

Recruitment isn’t about simply filling roles; it’s about securing leaders capable of executing your strategy. This demands your full attention as CEO. In future articles, I’ll share real-world examples of recruitment failures due to transactional approaches and the lessons they offer. When recruitment is mishandled, it doesn’t just cost you talent—it jeopardizes your company’s potential to achieve its goals.

About Charan, Bossidy, and Jack Welch

Ram Charan , Ph.D., from Harvard Business School leading global business consultant. Larry Bossidy, after a 30-year career at General Electric, went on to serve as CEO of Honeywell and became renowned for his relentless focus on execution. At GE , Bossidy worked closely with Jack Welch , who transformed the company, increasing shareholder value from $14 billion to $208 billion over two decades. I remember reading a profile of Jack Welch in the Ivey Business Journal titled – Jack Welch: Business Jock, written –  by Yvan Allaire, Ph.D., from MIT, a professor of strategy at École des sciences de la gestion (ESG UQAM) and Chairman Emeritus of Institute for governance (IGOPP) The article captured Welch’s profound impact on business leadership. Allaire, who taught me during my graduate studies, also taught my father— a shared connection that deepened my understanding of strategic leadership.

A French version of this article was published on September 9, 2024, by the Ordre des administrateurs agréés du Québec