ARLINGTON, Va., March 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Corporate
Executive Board (CEB) (NYSE: EXBD), a leading research and advisory
services company, released new findings today indicating that the
most effective global leaders do not need to be based in market to
drive positive business outcomes. CEB determined that the
candidates best suited for top multi-country leadership positions
are those who aspire to lead and have both the influence and vision
to do so. This means that hiring managers need to rethink
traditional relocation requirements in order to source candidates
most likely to enhance corporate performance.
The study of more than 11,500 global leaders showed that just 18
percent of them are effective in their role. While most
organizations look for leaders who have a "global mindset" and are
willing to relocate, that job description ultimately leads
companies to hire the wrong candidate for the position. The
competency that actually differentiates successful global leaders
is their ability to influence others – and it is four times more
important than having a "global mindset". In addition,
two-thirds of the leaders who are most effective in global roles
are unwilling to relocate, while those leaders who are the least
effective are the most willing to move. These two realities
call into question the basic assumptions that most organizations
use to determine the best candidates for global leadership
roles.
While relocation has typically been a requirement for global
leadership roles, companies have other options that should be
explored. For example, CEB's survey showed that while the majority
of the best leaders don't want to relocate, almost three-quarters
of them are willing to travel more than 60 days per year to spend
time in the various geographies that they oversee.
"The most successful global leaders are not interested in moving
for their next job," said Brian
Kropp, managing director, CEB. "Rather than making
relocation non-negotiable, companies should first make sure that a
prospective leader has the right skills and aspirations to be
successful as a global business leader. Travel and relocation
can then be negotiated based on the needs of the company and the
candidate."
In order to attract the best global leaders companies
should:
1. Highlight the leadership responsibilities
and opportunities associated with the role rather than the global
aspects.
2. Focus on the skills required for success
including the ability to influence others, vision and decision
making.
3. Tailor travel and relocation aspects of the
job to the preferences of the candidate.
4. Integrate new leaders into global networks
to provide critical market and organizational information.
For more information on what makes successful global leaders and
how to attract and retain them please click here.
About Corporate Executive Board
By identifying and building on the proven best practices of the
world's best companies, CEB helps senior executives and their teams
drive corporate performance. CEB offers comprehensive data
analysis, research and advisory services that align to executive
leadership roles and key recurring decisions. CEB tools, insights,
and analysis empower member companies to focus efforts, move
quickly, and address emerging and enduring business challenges with
confidence. CEB's client and member network includes 85
percent of the Fortune 500, 50 percent of the Dow Jones Asian
Titans, and 70 percent of the FTSE 100. It spans more than 50
countries, 5,700 individual organizations, and 225,000 business
professionals. For more information, visit
http://www.executiveboard.com/.
SOURCE Corporate Executive Board