Bill and Dave please calm down!! Apotheker ??

What would the two founders of Hewlett Packard,  Electrical Engineering Majors from Stanford say if they were here today!!  Could the world's largest technology company and the machine Hurd built, benefit from a software leader who has less than 1 year solo CEO experience. HP clearly dominates the PC, server, IT services and printer businesses, could they not have done better.  They are acquiring technology companies at the same rate an overnight watchman drinks coffee. Are they trying to soften the "blow" by bringing Ray Lane into the mix, investors are not that ignorant.  They could have built internal confidence and hired an extremely  competent leader with the appointment of either Todd Bradley (PC Sales) or Tom Hogan (Enterprise Sales).  Go to the outside, grab a Tim Cook (Apple) or give Oracle a taste of their own medicine with an attempt at securing Charles Phillips.  Either way, if the performance mimics that of SAP under Apotheker's watch, get out the riot gear.  After the Carly Fiorina debacle and Compaq blunder fresh in our minds, couldn't they have taken just a bit more time for us, the shareholders! 

You have worked too hard!

In speaking with many of my clients, both Entrepreneurs and Venture Capital firms, the market seems to still be quite challenging in many respects. While specifically in Enterprise Software, we see a paradigm shift to the Cloud, Web 2.0, "Green Software" and SaaS organizations attempting to secure the access and investments of the venture capital community. It is clearly still very much a complex and difficult process for many promising technology companies. While there is no shortage of ideas presented by bright and determined individuals, there is a limited amount of various sources of capital that will be invested in the promise of the next Google or Facebook.  Given today's economic uncertainty, the process has never been more lengthy and frustrating for many of these young companies. 

The irony is once a company secures the funding needed to get to the next stage in their evolution, they often dismiss the critical impact Human Capital will have on their success.  They often will reach out to an Executive Search firm that a board member, founder or associate has utilized in the past.  But then the most critical part of the process takes hold,  simply put, does your Search Firm have any clue what you do or is it time to regurgitate a set of notes they jotted down during your "Educational" conversation?  You have worked too hard to make the hand off to a firm that is going to attempt to secure the "High Impact" executive without a solid plan on game day.

Previous to the lead recruiter on your specific search commencing their task, ask the hard questions - You get only one chance to attract and interest the true "A" player.  If there is a stain on your tie and you chew with your mouth open, a second date is unlikely!

1. What problem does our offering address and what tangible value do we bring to our customers?

2. Describe the overall marketplace and why are we unique?

3. Explain the profile of individual you are targeting and why this is the best candidate framework for the position.

4. Pitch!  Have the firm present your company to you so all data can be confirmed and refined.

All these points take time and study, but you and your team have worked hard and so should your search firm.   If you hear a generic explanation of your product, positioning and team biography, run.  Once the perception on the street is formed, it will spread like a virus to competitors, prospects and market research firms.

Find the firm that simply knows why/what you do and is a true partner in success, not just a vendor.