Gary E. Hayes, PhD, Co-founder, Hayes Brunswick & Partners Gary E. Hayes, PhD, Co-founder
A strong leadership team is crucial for an organization’s growth and success. Building effective leadership demands the right strategies and cultivating individual talents. Hayes Brunswick and Partners (HBP) understands this and assists organizations in recognizing potential challenges in leadership performance, adeptly navigating these issues, and mitigating the inherent risks associated with having a team that is not aligned with the company’s strategy.

HBP is a leadership development firm that specializes in succession planning through strategic planning. It also provides leadership advisory and executive coaching services to help organizations with change management, realignment, and leadership pipeline development.

The firm takes a comprehensive approach to succession planning, which starts with exploring the company’s current operating plans, considering its strategic plans for the future and creating a leadership profile for the requirements of the next CEO, as well as conducting an in-depth evaluation of internal and external talent. This involves in-depth interviews and psychometric assessments to identify the leadership potential of current leaders by weighing their personality traits, relevant skills and leadership capabilities.

The findings are then reviewed with the top leadership team and the board to develop an integrated plan for the development of internal candidates to help them prepare for the next CEO role. At this time, outside sources of leadership talent may also be identified for future reference.

“The transition between CEOs requires a leader who can effectively manage current responsibilities while having the capability to navigate and drive the organization’s future, particularly during times of change. The dual role, bridging the present and future, is a pivotal factor when defining the leadership profile,” says Gary E. Hayes, co-founder of Hayes Brunswick and Partners.

HBP has a client engagement process with three touchpoints to gather insights during succession planning. These touchpoints provide reliable information for assessing a new leader, whether for immediate progression or transitional considerations. The first touchpoint includes the board of directors, which comprises the chairman and HR committee. The second is the CEO seeking guidance on the next steps or expressing interest in the transition process. The third is with the Chief HR Officer, responsible for leadership development and succession planning.

HBP’s experience in corporate settings allows it to align leadership development with an organization’s primary objectives. The firm’s team, consisting of psychologists and psychologically trained professionals, evaluates potential leaders’ personality traits and capabilities to ensure a precise match between the leader’s preferences and style and the organization’s present and future requirements.

The transition between CEOs requires a leader who can effectively manage current responsibilities while having the capability to navigate and drive the organization’s future, particularly during times of change. The dual role, bridging the present and future, is a pivotal factor when defining the leadership profile

The unwavering services of HBP, led by its credible team, have delivered hundreds of successful outcomes and positive client experiences. As one example of their work, the team collaborated with a pharmaceutical company with generic and specialty drug divisions. Initially, the objective was to improve operational efficiency in the production of generic drugs and enhance cost-effectiveness since a significant portion of the manufacturing took place in developing nations such as India and China. However, strategic adjustments prompted a change in priority towards specialty drugs fueled by the understanding that specialty drugs had the potential to generate significantly higher profit margins compared to their generic counterparts.

This shift moved the desired leadership style of the next CEO from one with a strong focus on cost considerations and high efficiency to a strong growth orientation with a high premium on innovation. The new CEO must also be highly adept at attracting talented scientists and researchers and keeping employees motivated.

HBP’s assistance in identifying the correct leadership model for the future of the company aided the search firm chosen to recruit the new CEO to identify the most appropriate candidates for the role. This resulted in the selection of a CEO who drove the company’s success in the marketplace and the stock market, illustrating HBP’s ability to deliver tailored services to its clients.

The journey of HBP in leadership development and succession planning showcases its well-thought-out approach. The firm aims to reshape the leadership and the ultimate success of its clients through its expertise and proficiency, ensuring clients receive services that guarantee leadership excellence and continuity.