Ep. 483 - Aligning Dreams with Reality: How to Find Your Next Right-Hand Leader

Second in Command: The Chief Behind the Chief with Cameron Herold

In today's episode of the Second in Command podcast, Cameron discusses the process of identifying and attracting the right leadership talent who not only possess the necessary skills but also align deeply with your company’s vision and core values.

You’ll discover the importance of building a “virtual bench” of potential candidates and why proactive recruiting beats passive job postings when searching for a high-impact executive. Discover a structured interviewing process that evaluates both cultural fit and technical expertise, ensuring your new leader complements the CEO and drives the company forward. You’ll also understand how rigorous reference checks provide critical insights into a candidate’s true character and capabilities before making a hiring decision.

Cameron uncovers best practices for defining compensation, clarifying roles, and setting organizational expectations that attract and retain top executives. You’ll learn how to balance respect for existing leaders while empowering your new hire to remove obstacles and foster alignment across the company, creating a strong foundation for long-term success.

The podcast explores how careful alignment of expectations and responsibilities can help create a harmonious, effective leadership structure that drives a company forward without unnecessary friction.

If you've enjoyed this episode of the Second in Command podcast, be sure to leave a review and subscribe today!

Enjoy!

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• The difficulty of finding COOs as they are rarely unemployed and often need to be poached. (1:05)
• Why the old adage of 'hire for attitude, train for skill' no longer applies, and why you must hire for both cultural fit and skill set. (4:15)
• The importance of choosing the right job title to match the responsibilities and compensation. (7:11)
• The concept of maintaining a "virtual bench" of potential candidates for future roles. (23:04)
• The role of HR in supporting the search 9not recruiting) and the importance of rigorous interviews. (24:32)
• And much more...

Resources:

Connect with Cameron: Website | LinkedIn

Get Cameron’s latest book – "Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO"

Get Cameron’s online course – Invest In Your Leaders