"Sick as a Parrot, Brian" - FA's Recruitment Problems Are Mirrored in UK Plc

The Football Association's problematic search for a new England manager shows all the hallmarks of the outdated and flawed recruitment policies that many British companies practice when looking for new senior managers.

According Executives Online, the fast-track recruitment specialists, the FA's hunt for a replacement for Sven-Goran Ericksson suffered from an unclear brief, a poor job description and an obsession with cultural fit - the same hang-ups that constantly result in British firms failing to find the leaders they need to help them succeed.

Research by Executives Online entitled Executive Talent 2006, carried out amongst 100 UK companies, found that almost half cited 'cultural fit' as the main driver in their recruitment decisions - in other words the face must fit. Yet, as Executives Online points out, this could mean that more experienced and more passionate candidates are discounted in favour of a safe choice, like the new England boss Steve McLaren.

Norrie Johnston, Managing Director of Executives Online, explains: "Time will tell how McLaren does in charge, but the FA has a history of muddled hiring choices in recent years, preferring men that tow the line rather than visionaries that shake things up.

"The same is true in many UK firms. All too often the board does not have a clear view of where they want their business to go, the challenges facing senior managers and therefore the skills candidates need to fill those roles."

Johnston says that the conservative approach many firms take to senior recruitment is revealed in the findings of Executive Talent 2006.

• 50% say cultural fit dominates the recruitment process
  • This was most important to small companies - 66%
  • But still important to big firms - 39%
• 10% have no means of measuring the success of recruitment choices
• Only 27% measure the quality of the person they actually hire to quantify the success of their recruitment process
  • 19% measure the quality of candidates coming forward
  • 17% gauge success by the number of candidates
  • 10% rate the speed of the recruitment process

Ultimately the views of one or two dominant voices in the boardroom could sway the hiring decision, and this could be in response to external pressures. This may lead to a non-controversial decision that maintains the status quo rather than addressing the problems and the needs of the business.

The FA, for example, took so much flack when it appointed Sven as England's first foreign coach that there was pressure on it to hire an Englishman this time with the right cultural fit. Even then it had discussions with Brazilian Phil Scolari, but those were badly managed and caused more damaged to football's ruling body. Manchester City's volatile manager Stuart Pearce was also under consideration, but in the end the FA opted for non-controversial Middlesbrough manager Steve McLaren.

Johnston says that the recruitment process should focus on results right from the start, as soon as job descriptions are drafted, CV's submitted and candidates invited for interview. Keeping results at the front of mind is the only way to identify the skills needed and measure a candidate's ability to deliver.

And he has this advice for the FA the next time it looks for an England manager: "They should forget finding a face the fits and instead focus on key tasks and deliverables. It would then be far easier to measure success by ensuring those tasks and objectives are being met."

The independent study involved interviews with 102 HR managers and senior managers all of whom recruit senior personnel. They work for UK organisations across a range of industries and with turnover in excess of £25 million.

To request a copy of Executive Talent 2006 or to find out more about Executives Online's services contact 01962 829 705 or visit www.ExecutivesOnline.co.uk