The Importance of Collaboration when it comes to Executive Search in Utilities

Leading the Utilities Practice in Executive Search here at Douglas Jackson, I am often faced with changes that have a huge affect on the searches that I'm delivering for my clients.

Change happens.

In a sector that's heavily influenced by political and regulatory pressures, consolidation through acquisitions, and new market entrants disrupting the status quo, it's important for me to be agile in my approach.

Agility is made possible however through communication and collaboration.

The smoothest processes are typically the ones where the CEO, CPO or COO that I'm working with are completely committed to their desired outcome. Communication is key. As is trust.

I encounter situations where a business leader may have a clear idea of the background and experience that they are looking to attract, and others that give me a outcome or challenge and leave me free reign to source the best people to facilitate the solution.

Regardless of the remit, when reflecting on all of the search processes that I've conducted the last year, the ones that have been most effective are the ones that have had two way collaboration. The relationships that have embraced fostering brainstorming sessions over coffee and profile skims to align and redefine during the earlier stages are imperative to the success of the search in my opinion.

For those of you that I've had the pleasure of working with so far, you'll know that with every search where it's possible, I'll typically introduce a wildcard that is off-piste and although slightly removed from brief, will likely give you an alternative perspective.

There are many reasons that the CEO's that I work with have come to me for their search requirements:

• Via a recommendation from an existing client.
• Because they value the agility of a boutique search business.
• Because they have a confidential requirement that requires sensitivity in it's approach.
• They see me as a trusted advisor with industry expertise.
• The breadth of my market knowledge and network.
• They've been to market with another search firm without a successful outcome.
• The ability to source talent from cross-sector due to the wider reach of our team here at Douglas Jackson which drives innovations and fresh perspective.

Regardless of reasoning, through collaborating throughout the search process, we can navigate potential pitfalls, explore new routes to market and be creative in our partnered approach.

So if you don't feel as though your current search partner are listening to you. Or you're receiving shortlists that are coming from regurgitated longlists with search businesses that don't really care about the outcome then let's have a conversation.

If you're at the point of being ready to throw in the towel and it feels like 'Mission Impossible' and your looking to reinvigorate your search then it's likely about time we were having a conversation about how things could look for you in 12 weeks' time.

I help CEOs, COOs, CPOs, HRDs and business leaders improve the diversity, success and retention of their new C Suite, Executive and leadership hires across the Utilities sector, providing recruitment consultancy and Executive Search services. Helping you deliver a much-improved performance and ROI. If you would like to talk more about your unique challenges and to see if I might be a future resource for you, book a call here.