For The Caldwell Partners, a successful executive search requires staying one step ahead of the game.
Chris Laubitz knows plenty. As a Senior Partner of Caldwell Partners, an international executive search company, Chris specializes in finding the best candidates for the most demanding jobs. Laubitz joined the team in 1986. “I was learning from the best, and every year it got better and we had a chance to do some fascinating work,” he said. “To this day, my colleagues are my best mentors. These are people who make a difference; we know it, and we enjoy doing it.”
Finding effective leaders can be tricky since industries change direction all the time. “For us it's a big challenge to get out there and be at the front edge of the evolution of the market,” Laubitz said. “What are clients going to need? What are the entrepreneurs going to require?” And in newer industries like alternative energy, there are no precedents to learn from. That makes it especially challenging to spot an ideal leader with the right skill, style and character, to help a company thrive.
A successful placement is always rewarding. “I'll tell you what I really enjoy most; if a year after I have placed an executive, I read that the company has moved forward in what they were trying to accomplish, I take great pride in that success. We measure our success by the satisfaction of our clients and our candidates. We pride ourselves in consistently earning repeat business from our satisfied clients. ”
As the executive search industry evolves, Laubitz recognizes the need to adopt a more entrepreneurial mindset. “Entrepreneurs value insight, speed, confidentiality and commitment. Let's drive to the end result; let's do it quickly; let's commit to what we're going to do, and let’s get it done. And I think that's what we have to provide to our clients. We owe it, as entrepreneurs, to be thinking in a much bigger picture because our competition is not just next door; it's from all over the world.”
Despite these challenges and the recent recession, Caldwell has flourished over the past two years. The company has doubled in size and opened eight new offices, even as other executive search firms faltered. Laubitz believes that Caldwell has been successful because the partners saw the economic turmoil not as a problem, but as an opportunity. “A negative market is always a real opportunity. The executive recruiting industry is a leading indicator because the leaders who are ready to get back, get competitive, are the first to come out of any negative market. The deeper the market, the faster and harder they come out, wanting to win.”
We recommend:
Back to Harvard Business School to Regain His Edge. There seems to be a trend in retail that involve
Paychecks Instead of PityCan you name the single minority group with the highest unemployment rate i
David Allen Confronts the Growing Epidemic of “Executive Insanity” on a Global Scale
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
