0203 026 3870
Newsom Consulting
Delivering Leadership Talent
Newsom ConsultingNewsom Consulting
  • Sectors
    • Rail
    • Aviation
    • Highways
    • Power & Utilities
    • Buildings
    • Defence
    • Major Projects
    • Transport Operators
    • International
  • Our Services
    • Executive Search
    • Talent Mapping
    • Leadership Assessment
    • Outplacement
  • Opportunities
  • Testimonials
  • Insights
    • Blogs
    • Reports & Guides
  • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Contact Us
  • Sectors
    • Rail
    • Aviation
    • Highways
    • Power & Utilities
    • Buildings
    • Defence
    • Major Projects
    • Transport Operators
    • International
  • Our Services
    • Executive Search
    • Talent Mapping
    • Leadership Assessment
    • Outplacement
  • Opportunities
  • Testimonials
  • Insights
    • Blogs
    • Reports & Guides
  • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Contact Us

Why CEO’s should always make time for top talent…

Last week, Harvard Business Review released a study looking at how CEO’s manage their time*.  They tracked 27 CEO’s over a three month period for 24 hours a day in order to build up a picture of just how CEO’s typically use their time.

To summarise the study in one sentence; CEO’s are busy people.

They work, on average, 9.7 hours per weekday, 3.9 hours on 79% weekend days and 2.4 hours on 70% of holidays.

72% of working time is spent in meetings and 24% on electronic communications. The role is by no means an easy one, with responsibilities and duties seemingly making it an endless task.

But while there are various things that HBR suggests CEO’s could do to manage their time more efficiently, one message is clear. Spending time with employees and involving themselves with developing the leadership pipeline is crucial to business success and time well spent.

So what are the benefits to a CEO of allocating their scarce time to recruitment and talent management?

 

1. Helps to attract the best talent in the market

HBR’s research found that building the company’s leadership pipeline cannot be left to HR or line managers alone. CEO’s must be personally committed to improving the quality of the company’s leaders.

Obviously, CEO’s can’t be expected to interview every single candidate, but you’d be surprised at the difference 10 or 15 minutes of their time can make when wooing the best talent and attracting them into the business.

From our own experience, having the CEO or Managing Director present at the final interview stage, even just for a few minutes, can significantly impact the candidate’s decision to join the company.

For hard to fill or senior positions, we would always suggest that CEO’s are involved to explain the long term business plan and persuade candidates that by joining the company they will have the opportunity to develop and progress.

 

2. Shaping the culture of the business

Joe Pinto, CEO of 7-Eleven recently said that the Chief Executive’s main role is to set “the right culture, the right tone, demonstrating that this is the way we want to do things.” He goes on to say that you do this through “picking the right folks”**.

Culture starts at the top and a CEO’s presence throughout the organisation will encourage and reinforce the values that the company stands for. This is particularly important at the recruitment stage where meeting candidates will ensure that the CEO is happy the individual is aligned with the company’s values and culture.

Leadership choices will undoubtedly shape a company’s culture. The candidates that get hired, promoted, or fired demonstrate the key values held by the CEO and the company.

 

3. Helps to define the organisation’s strategy

CEO’s must ensure that the company’s strategy is being well executed and that new recruits line up with the needs of the organisation and the business situation at hand.

Likewise to culture, the strategy and business objectives are determined from the top and input from the CEO when making critical senior hires will mean that candidates sourced, interviewed and hired will align with where the company wants to go and how they will achieve those goals.

Not only this, but if the CEO is certain that new senior executives buy into and understand the corporate strategy, then they will find it easier to delegate responsibilities to them and trust them to work autonomously. Therefore freeing up some of their valuable time in doing so.

 

Time is one thing that Director’s across all functions can’t get back, so if you’re looking to recruit senior executives to your teams, click HERE to see how we can make the process as quick and efficient for you as possible.

 

 

* https://hbr.org/2018/07/the-leaders-calendar

** https://chiefexecutive.net/the-ceos-role-in-shaping-an-organizations-culture/

By Jim Newsom9th July 2018

Author: Jim Newsom

Jim Newsom leads our work in construction and infrastructure having worked in executive search since 1998, recruiting for both public and private sector companies in infrastructure, transport, engineering and construction. Prior to forming Newsom Consulting, Jim spent 11 years working for the one of the UK’s largest independently owned executive recruiters and then two years at a boutique search firm. Jim is a graduate in civil engineering from Liverpool University.

Post navigation

PreviousPrevious post:Movers and Shakers in Transport & Infrastructure- The headlines from JuneNextNext post:4 things we can learn from Boris Johnson’s resignation

Related posts

Movers and Shakers in Transport & Infrastructure – The Headlines from December 2021
7th January 2022
Movers and Shakers in Transport & Infrastructure – The Headlines from October 2021
1st November 2021
Movers and Shakers in Transport & Infrastructure – The Headlines from September 2021
11th October 2021
Movers and Shakers in Transport & Infrastructure – The Headlines from August 2021
6th September 2021
Movers and Shakers in Transport & Infrastructure – The Headlines from July 2021
5th August 2021
Movers and Shakers in Transport & Infrastructure – The Headlines from June 2021
7th July 2021

To recieve our weekly blogs please fill in your details below:

Recent Posts
  • UK Major Projects Pipeline Update – May 2022
    17th May 2022
  • 3 lessons learnt from Crossrail for future Major Projects
    9th May 2022
  • Movers and Shakers in Transport & Infrastructure – The Headlines from April 2022
    3rd May 2022
Testimonials

Since taking over as the CEO of Crossrail I have put a lot of effort into establishing the right leadership team to complete the project. Newsom Consulting have been a great partner in this work. Together we have worked to assemble a great new team  with the right energy and capability for one of the worlds most complex projects.

Jim and team are a real pleasure to work with; responsive and sensitive to our unique circumstances.

CEO, Crossrail

UK Power Network Services recently partnered with Newsom Consulting to recruit a key strategic appointment. They provided us with a targeted candidate search and shortlist of candidates from which we were able to make a successful appointment. Throughout the engagement there was senior involvement from Newsom Consulting and they demonstrated deep knowledge of the sector and market. They were patient, thorough and professional throughout the search.

 

Ian Smyth, Director of UK Power Networks Services

Over the last few years CAF Rolling Stock UK has worked closely with Jim and Richard of Newsom Consulting to recruit several leadership roles across the business. We have found Newsom to be effective in providing high calibre candidates. We would recommend Newsom for recruiting key leadership roles.

Chief Operating Officer, CAF Rolling Stock UK
Newsom Consulting
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
Footer Menu

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

Newsom Consulting
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.