A Quiet Thank You – And a Few Thoughts on Executive Search

The response to my recent post was quite extensive - messages from across the spectrum. Young professionals curious about consulting. Seasoned professionals asking questions or with some reflections. To everyone who reached out: thank you. It’s a privilege to connect with so many sharp minds.

While I would love to reply to every message, time simply doesn’t allow it. Instead, I decided to share a few reflections here - and (I hope) worth your time. Whether you are on a journey of transition, building teams, or rethinking leadership, these insights might spark something for you.

What It Really Means to Be an Executive Search Consultant

“What do you actually do?” It’s a fair question and one I have already touched on. Executive search isn’t just about filling a seat at the table. It’s about finding the right professionals who can transform organisations - people who navigate complexity and deliver real results.

The best consultants are strategic partners. We work in the shadows, guiding boards and C-suites through decisions that will define their organisations’ futures.

Listening, asking tough questions, and delivering insights that matter. It’s not glamorous work, but it’s the kind that can shape futures.

Experience Matters

You don’t walk into executive search and make an impact on day one. This is a craft, not a job. It is built over years spent navigating organisational and human capital challenges and working on understanding the nuances of leadership dynamics. You never finish learning.

Great consultants don’t claim to have all the answers. They know how to ask the right questions, challenge assumptions, and deliver hard truths and must be grounded in the realities of the market. That’s where the value lies (and the hard truths).

Why This Matters to You

If you are a leader, you know the right hire transforms everything. The wrong one? That’s a risk no one can really afford easily.

If you are considering a career in consulting, please consider that it is not about being the loudest in the room. It’s about being the most thoughtful.

The biggest myth about consulting? That clients come to you. Consulting success demands grit, persistence, and trust - earned over time. As a friendly competitor recently said to me, consulting is hard. Like Golf - a lifelong journey of getting better. Building a client portfolio is even harder. It requires a lot of pre-prep time. If you are not willing to go the extra mile, clients won’t come flying to you.