Choosing Executives

Failure rate for senior executives is high; consider the frequent stories in the press about yet another CEO who has been fired or has resigned prematurely. Hypothesizing that the selection process is inadequate, CCL researchers used the Peak Selection Simulation to ask 621 decision-makers specific questions about how they use interviews, HR information, and search firm reports to select top-level candidates. This report, containing thirty figures and tables and a comprehensive reference list, documents this research and provides useful insights that can lead to better selection outcomes.