Welcome to Executive Talent Magazine, Vol. 19: The Now, The Next, & The New Normal

Welcome to Volume 19

As we find ourselves still very much in the middle of a global pandemic with uncertainty the only certainty, where do we go from here? 

We spoke with AESC Members and other expert advisors to better understand how the business landscape has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, how organizations and their leaders are adapting, what is the impact on senior talent, and what’s to come? In this issue of Executive Talent , we delve into:

• Purpose & Progress The Business Roundtable startled many in August 2019 when it redefined the purpose of the corporation, moving away from shareholder primacy and toward promoting an economy that serves all stakeholders. Is this aspirational vision truly the future of corporations, and does it stick in our COVID era? The data suggests it may be more critical than ever.

• Tech in Troubled Times: Remote work in a COVID world How to sustain an organizational culture in a one-hundred percent virtual environment is a question many business leaders are now asking. What is the role of technology and what lessons have we learned so far? We spoke with Chief Information Officers from AESC member firms to find out.

• The Rise of the Interim Role: The rise of the interim leader is good news for organizations, for search firms, and the executives themselves. We look at increased demand for Interim Executive services—amplified by the pandemic— and what organizations should look for in an Interim executive and when they should consider one.

• Tapping China's Talent Market: China accounted for 28% of all growth worldwide in the five years from 2013 to 2018, more than twice the share of the United States. Even in the context of a global pandemic, China is on fast-forward. We look at where China is headed, what it means for the rest of the world, and how it impacts talent.

• The Now, The Next, The New Normal: Leadership preparing for a post-COVID world. Economies, organizations, leaders and ordinary people are in uncharted territory. Organizations have adapted to survive; they have changed. And going forward they will need to rely on lessons learned, and perhaps a changed profile in leadership to move successfully into whatever comes next.

• The Intrepid Interim We spoke with leaders from AESC’s BlueSteps career service to find out what it takes to be an interim leader today and resources for candidates seeking interim roles.

• Background Checks Beyond the Public Domain While the intelligent search and analysis of public information is the foundation of background checking, AESC partner Mintz Group shares the importance of interviews in a background check.