With the popularity of books like “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” there is no doubt that if you can inspire cooperation amongst your team, you can more easily achieve greater personal and professional success. Why then, are so many leaders afraid of office politics?  The workplace is a complex environment, shaped by diverse personalities and competing agendas.  Learning to navigate office politics is crucial. While we aren’t running for office at ...

Finding a new position isn't easy. It takes time, more time than any respected profession warrants. In fact, after you reach a certain level of acumen in your chosen field, it's downright insulting to be part of this slow-moving process, waiting tirelessly to land that next, rightful position. But once the deal is done, you are ready. You are pleased with the compensation  package and determined to make a move.  And then what ...

You’ve found your perfect candidate, the interviewers all came back with glowing reports, and compensation expectations seem to line up. All that’s left is to speak with the candidate’s references, so you can verify that this candidate is the dream-come-true you’ve been looking for. The most straightforward approach to references is to ask the candidate for a list. Of course, one can be hardly surprised that references provided by the candidate would be friends and staunch advocates. Last fall, my colleague and fellow TAG blogger Amanda Brady provided great tips on how to get the most relevant and useful information from that list of cheerleaders. But what about going off the list, and speaking with others that person worked with or reported to in the past to get an off the record reference, or “backdoor reference”?

During the course of a year I bet I meet hundreds of executives.  Last year, I noticed a dramatic increase in the number of executives with an iPhone or other smartphone (but mostly iPhones) instead of a Blackberry. Although I initially dismissed it as a novelty, smartphones other than Blackberry have quickly become mainstream. The iPhone has surpassed Blackberry among business users. As many ponder dumping their Blackberries, it is common to see executives carry ...

One of my colleagues constantly admonishes - “people are an unstable product” – and in my experience, truer words have never been spoken.

It’s worth re-emphasizing that while the executive search business is one of the best ways to meet and work with fascinating, high-achieving individuals, there is never a shortage of encounters that leave you questioning the basic comprehension, courtesy, and common-sense of your fellow humans – especially when they are sending emails.

Like most people ...

Houston football fans had something to rejoice about this year.  For the first time in franchise history, the Houston Texans made the playoffs. In a league dominated by high-profile celebrity quarterbacks like Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Drew Brees, the most remarkable aspect of the Texans’ playoff run is that they were led by a first year quarterback, T.J. Yates. Five months ago, before the start of the season, few people in Houston, let ...

2012 has arrived full tilt and along with it comes new goals for personal and business success.  Just as personal resolutions abound, business leaders are following suit, resolving to relentlessly and purposefully move their companies forward.

As noted in our blog last week, hiring is expected to increase this year. We have already seen evidence of this as the unemployment rate has recently dropped to 8.5 percent. Add to this mix,  CEO turnover among ...

As 2011 winds down, it seems only fitting to look ahead to 2012 and highlight key trends for those who are hiring and executives who seek to be hired.  We are not alone in gazing at the crystal ball.  Googling the term “hiring trends for 2012” yields over 3 million results, many of which confirm what we have already observed in the fourth quarter of 2011.

1.  Companies are hiring and recruiting. Companies who have ...

Here at The Alexander Group, we have always gotten a kick out of the holiday season. For me, it is a time of celebration, rituals and tradition and as a firm we have used the holiday card as a way to show who we are, provide an outlet for our creative talents and most of all to share some laughs and have some fun.  Today we launched our annual card and have been overwhelmed by ...

Though it feels like it was just Labor Day, somehow we find ourselves here at the start of December. In addition to the weather outside becoming frightful (while the fire remains quite delightful), and family and friends getting together, this also marks the start of the holiday party season in the business community.

Coinciding with what is, for many, fiscal year-end, intense budget and strategic planning preparations for the new year, and in most ...

Editor’s note:   At The Alexander Group we are fortunate with a group of talented and creative writers who can blog about everything from the World Series to best practices in hiring.  With the Holiday Season and its rituals in full swing,   Bill Lepiesza and Katy Caudle blog this week and next about business holiday etiquette.  This week Katy suggests business etiquette for the Holiday Season, while next week Bill will write one of his ...

What do you do when you have hired someone who, once on board, is not a good hire? No one intends to make bad hiring decisions but for a variety of reasons, they happen.  Think Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde.

We interviewed a number of top executives and, interestingly, they mostly agreed on solutions. They all agreed that within three to six months, and sometimes much sooner, you will know if you have made a ...

It is Thanksgiving week and we are reflecting on our many blessings both professionally and personally. As a firm we are blessed with many long-time clients and friends along with a team that is both good at what they do and are wonderful colleagues.    For this week’s blog we are turning the writer’s pen over to our friend Dan Bowling, (http://positiveworkplacesolutions.com/), formerly the head of HR for Coca-Cola Enterprises, who is ...

Creating and launching a new website is akin to giving birth to a baby of Guinness Book proportions; if done right, clients and potential clients alike will leave your site with not only an enhanced understanding of your organization, but a desire to know more. The Alexander Group began the painstaking process of building a new website earlier this year – our first in seven years with me as Project Manager. Many times we thought, “I ...

Over the past decade, I’ve conducted close to one hundred searches for financial executives nationally. What is interesting, though not surprising, is that the superstar financial executive comes in all sizes with talents that cover a wide spectrum.

For example, the Chief Financial Officer who will lead an IPO needs to be comfortable interacting with analysts and being part of a “road show” as the company and its management team are introduced to the ...

In one of last month’s blogs, we discussed why a current or retired executive would want to be on a Board of Directors and why, despite the risk factors, even boards of troubled companies have had minimal problems finding willing candidates. One of our most frequently asked questions is “How do I get on a corporate board if I’m not already on a board?”

1) The Process is Different than Applying for a ...

Happy Halloween In 2004, Martha Stewart was one of the most sought after costumes, yet it was rated as the worst one for a single woman if she wanted to meet prospective suitors. But then Martha went to the slammer and the costume had to be modified to have a ball and chain. It’s a good thing to be Martha, but not such a good thing to be "Martha Stewart Living Behind Bars." Donald Trump. The Donald costume first appeared in 2002 as a Halloween staple. Be on the lookout for Donald the politician which will have a magnifying glass and Obama’s birth certificate attached. Mark Zuckerberg. Because nothing says social media couture successful executive like a man/child with messy hair, gap hoodie, faded jeans, a terry cloth robe and shower sandals. Hugh Hefner. The Hef costume has been around forever -- Hef has what we call “staying power.” With help of medicinal intervention, he continues to be the highlight of the party and, er, the after party. Bernie Madoff. Bernie Madoff made his appearance in 2008. Scandal, anger, betrayal, hatred, broken trust. Now let the whole party think of you as only your ex would. Ben Bernanke. Fed Chairman and master printer of money. Dressing as Ben this year will be hot, unlike our economy. Oprah – Oprah is gone from network TV but not forgotten. We like her costume in the late 90s that came complete with a wagon carrying 80 pounds of lost fat. Steve Jobs – An easy costume and will, undoubtedly, be highly popular and well received. Black turtleneck, blue jeans, beard, glasses and an iPhone. Tony Hayward – Last year the oily and slick CEO of BP ruled Halloween land if not his own company as he was replaced shortly after Halloween. Headhunter – Our favorite, the headhunter!

I look forward to Halloween parties and get a kick out of how costumes reflect our collective Zeitgeist.   And I am not referring to skimpy French maid costumes or the guy with a sword through his head...though each has its appreciable qualities. My favorites are costumes that are relevant to current events and as such have a limited shelf life.  So prepare to see Casey Anthony, Wall Street Protesters, William & Kate and Angry Birds ...

Hiring has gone global. A recent survey predicts that over the next five years the number of senior executives working abroad will increase by more than 30 percent. In order to break onto the international stage, companies are finding that their top leaders must exhibit a broader globalized skill set, including an understanding of cultural and social norms outside their own domestic market. Here are three things we think help put global hiring in the ...

Recruiting is inherently a risky business because you are dealing with an unstable product – people.Though we try to reduce risk with a thorough interview process, it is still an imperfect science . Resumes, at least the good ones, highlight successes and minimize negative experiences; According to Paul Croteau, up to 30 percent  of resumes contain exaggerated information. Most executive level candidates are also good at marketing themselves in personal meetings, one-on-one and panel interviews. Meetings ...

This blog entry comes with a disclaimer – it’s a bit of a downer. I just need to get that out of the way.

Steve Jobs, whose death dominated last week’s news, was a visionary who changed the way we live our lives in both large and small ways. But he was also a boss, team member, co-worker, and a part of daily life for many Apple employees, even after he stepped down from ...