Our consultants spend a considerable amount of time at the outset of the search learning about the client organization and defining the concrete objectives for the new executive. We ask, "How will you know one year, three years, or five years after you hire someone that you have chosen the right person? What will this person have accomplished?"

We meet with management, board members, key staff, and others to understand the history and culture of the organization and to determine how the new executive will fit. We also use this time to establish specific short- and long-term objectives for the incoming executive.

The document we draft after this research and consultation is not so much a job description as a statement of the challenges that will face the person we will help recruit. It also articulates the professional experience and personal characteristics required to meet those challenges.

We find that this process often helps to build a consensus within an organization about where it is going and what is expected of its new leadership. It also ensures that we share our client's understanding of the assignment as we begin to network for prospective candidates.