Stuart Sadick

The best part of facilitating a webinar conversation is getting to meet more people in my space—and learning from others along the way. The prep work is a gift too. It forces you to slow down, dig into the topic, and be more intentional about what really matters—especially when navigating complex moments like M&A. One thing that consistently stands out: deals don’t succeed (or fail) on numbers alone. Research shows that nearly half of failed deals are tied to overlooking people and culture issues, not financials or strategy. When leadership alignment, culture, and talent aren’t part of the deal strategy, value is at risk. These conversations always reinforce why the human side of change deserves just as much focus as the legal and financial work—and why learning from others doing this work every day is so powerful. Grateful for the dialogue, the shared perspectives, and the chance to keep learning Monica Sauls Chelle O'Keefe, SPHR Rhonda Mahan, MBA, MS-HR Brendan McElroy Michele Dewyea AnnaMay Abbott, Ph.D.Megan Mitchell

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M&A is surging in some sectors and slowing in others. It takes conviction and clarity to chart a multi-year strategy. See what’s fueling strategic M&A moves in Bain's latest report: https://bit.ly/3GMJ4eW

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Five Key Take Aways from our 40th CEO-CHRO Roundtable co-hosted with a special thanks to Kathy Gersch of Kotter International and your CHRO attendees! 1-At the outset, gain consensus on the rationale for change and prepare your organization that changes are forthcoming.. With discipline, define the organizational priorities that must be addressed... What must be changed, why change is needed now and organizationally define how such changes will be implemented. By carefully doing so, you will have a valuable role in dealing effectively with the inevitable “wrinkles” that create chaos and increase risk of failures. Nevertheless, be prepared to address organizational resistance. 2-As CHRO, to assure effectiveness, assist your leadership colleagues in being clear and concise about communicating the need for change that is being undertaken... the challenges, and opportunities that will be addressed, the resources required and the importance of the roles and collaboration/interactivities among teams and their leaders necessary for the change to result in a “win”. 3-Admittedly, with any transformation, there will be stress, anxiety, and cultural challenges. While monitoring and benchmarking change activities are important, be fully aware, and sensitive to, organizational stress points. Be cognizant of organizational inhibitors. Don’t hesitate to share your concerns about how your team leaders and associates are adapting. Offer ideas of how to remove barriers while fully considering balancing speed to change/adjust with moving at the pace that your organization can absorb. Celebrate progress and wins as a team. 4-While it’s important to assure that current, relevant, and objective data is surfaced to avoid the pitfalls of change, it is critical for CHROs to build deeper relationships with “influentials” at various levels.... those that can add to the dialogue by providing insights and, perhaps, differing but helpful perspectives. 5-As every transformation is unique to each company’s circumstances, there is not one size fit all. That being said, there are a few commonalities that CHROs play in making transformations work and stick...the five “C”s...character ( inclusive & approachable), context ( insight into the necessity to act), competence (flexibility and resilient), communication (transparency and empathy), capability building (preparing your leaders and their associates for a different than today’s future). HOW THE KOBLENTZ GROUP CAN HELP With several decades of recruiting leaders successfully, call on The Koblentz. You will experience high touch professional care and why over 80% of our clients have engaged us previously, the surest benchmark and testament to our candidate access, deep experience, and judgment that we bring to each client matter.

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Executive pay is under the microscope. With rising concerns around income inequality, performance alignment, and shareholder activism, compensation committees are navigating complex terrain. Korn Ferry's 2025 Executive Compensation Guide breaks down the 10 most pressing questions in pay and governance, offering expert insights to help you lead with confidence. What’s Inside: - Aligning pay with performance without triggering investor pushback - Rethinking CEO pay benchmarking: is it still the right approach? - Retention strategies in a volatile market - Fresh perspectives on ESG, non-competes, and goal rigor - How proxy advisors are shaping equity plans and disclosures The stakes are high. The right strategy matters. Download the guide and stay ahead of the curve. It's all about the people. #ExecutiveCompensation #Governance #Leadership #ESG #RetentionStrategy #2025Planning https://lnkd.in/gp4BPxJM

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This piece from Harvard Business discusses an important nuance: courage doesn't come from eliminating uncertainty, it comes from creating clarity. Wanda Shoer (Chief Learning Officer at Sanofi) frames it as giving teams the guardrails they need to act. The distinction between one-way doors (irreversible) and two-way doors (can be course-corrected) is particularly useful. What caught my attention: her point that courage is not something leaders should demand, it's something they enable through psychological safety. Teams hesitate not because they lack capability but because they lack direction. The steadiness point resonated too - leaders carry the responsibility of absorbing pressure without amplifying anxiety. That's harder than it sounds when change is happening to you as well as around you. Worth a read - particularly the reframe on courage as a learned skill rather than an innate trait. https://lnkd.in/eQkuyfiS

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In a new Heidrick Perspectives conversation, Sunny Ackerman and Sandra Pinnavaia explore how interim executives are reshaping leadership strategies amid ongoing uncertainty. They discuss practical insights for building resilience and supporting overstretched teams—without waiting for perfect clarity or permanent headcount.  Key takeaways:   ✔️ Interim executives are no longer just a stopgap—they’re a strategic lever for resilience, transformation, and speed.   ✔️ Immediacy, optionality, and headcount flexibility are driving demand for interim and fractional leadership.   ✔️ Companies are using on-demand talent not only to fill roles, but to extend leadership teams, relieve burnout, and pilot future-state capabilities.   ✔️ As volatility accelerates, waiting for clarity can cost you.  Watch the full conversation to learn how top companies are redefining agility at the leadership level:   https://lnkd.in/eTMR9-7A   #InterimExecutives #OnDemandTalent #Leadership #BusinessAgility 

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There’s a lot to unpack in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act—and my colleagues Andrew Henry and Emily Krulik do just that in this insightful, forward-looking piece. If you're in HR or executive leadership, their conversation with Fisher Phillips is a great primer on what to expect and how to prepare. https://lnkd.in/g5pUvuQK

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These four distinct decision-making mindsets are shaping how middle-market leaders invest in compensation, benefits, and talent strategy. Dive deep into each approach: https://okt.to/DXYnqs #TotalRewards #CompensationStrategies #MiddleMarketInsights

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Missed the role? Stay connected. Learn how recruiters value persistence, transferable skills, and passion in today’s evolving job market. https://krnfy.bz/4t4VUIr

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The challenge with succession planning isn't creating the document—it's activating it. There's a gap between compliance-driven succession planning and culture-driven succession planning.  It's the difference between:  - Having names listed vs. actively developing leaders   - Meeting today's requirements vs. building tomorrow's capabilities   - Annual reviews vs. continuous development   - Compliance thinking vs. strategic advantage  Ready to activate your plan and drive impact? https://lnkd.in/g-JS_px5 #SuccessionPlanning #Leadership

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Could simplification be the key to innovative executive compensation plans? https://bit.ly/45Qfsr3 Join Gordon Frost, Peter Boreham and David Theike as they discuss the impact of economic uncertainty on executive compensation planning. #FutureOfWork #ExecutiveCompensation #HumanResources

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What separates AI hype from impact? Culture. Meg Wheaton of Heidrick & Struggles shares a practical roadmap to integrating AI into how teams think, lead, and work. Read the full Forbes article: https://bit.ly/3GcsiWf #AI #Leadership #Culture #AIAdoption

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When it comes to succession planning, boards have recently been engaging in three particularly problematic behaviors. My colleagues Claudius A. Hildebrand, Kate Hurley, and Giovanna Gallì discuss why the “safe” approach to succession is counterproductive, and offer guidance on how boards can transform CEO selection into a moment of strategic advantage in Harvard Business Review: https://lnkd.in/gqR36sSV #CEOSuccession #Boards #SpencerStuartSiliconValley&Austin

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Before your next comp cycle, benchmark holding power. It’s not a buzzword—it’s an early warning system that quantifies retention risk and alignment of unvested equity to shareholder value. I lay out how comp committees can make it part of their toolkit in this article for Directorship.

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Wharton Business Consulting's Human Adapt Podcast brings to life how to re-think processes, re-align leaders, re-shape culture and re-wire workforce structures to unlock the potential of AI & Technology integration. Our first series and episode is hosted by global talent expert Jig Ramji, diving straight into one of the biggest questions leaders face today: how do we demystify AI in the context of people strategy. Featuring Andrew Rashbass (Chairman, ScultureAI; former CEO of Reuters, The Economist Group, Euromoney) and Elie Rashbass, CFA Rashbass (Co-Founder & CEO, ScultureAI; formerly Macquarie, Lazard, Fidelity). From boardrooms to start-ups, Andrew and Ellie bring a rare intergenerational perspective. Andrew’s experience leading some of the world’s most influential media and knowledge businesses meets Ellie’s sharp investment and entrepreneurial insight. Guided by Jig’s deep expertise in leadership development, culture, and transformation, the conversation explores: ✅ How AI is reshaping leadership, talent, and culture ✅ The risks of hype versus the opportunities for human-centric adoption. ✅ What it really means for leaders to embed AI into their people strategy without losing sight of values and people This is exactly where Wharton Business Consulting comes in: helping leaders cut through the noise, align technology with purpose, and embed sustainable change at scale. By bridging insight and application, we equip executives and organisations not only to understand AI but to harness it responsibly in shaping the future of work. 🎧 I do hope you’ll listen in and be part of the conversation on the future of culture and people strategy in the age of AI. Part One https://lnkd.in/eidarYdS Part Two https://lnkd.in/e4k9Ppjq

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Directorship magazine's Noah Kirsch explores the pressures on today's boardroom. Anthony Goodman, head of the North American Board Effectiveness practice at Korn Ferry, noted that disruption is not a new phenomenon for directors. “I think it's fair to say that since the pandemic in 2020, there's been a lot of change that's impacted boards,” he said. "The difference now, though, is that “this is happening all at once.” As a result, Goodman said, boards “are suffering a little bit from whiplash, because no sooner have they looked at one thing that something else is going on.” #boardsofdirectors #corpgov This may be behind a paywall: https://lnkd.in/eQfRAjMq

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Heidrick & Struggles’ new research shows that only 16% of PE-backed companies treat CEO succession planning as a top priority. With longer hold periods and higher turnover, taking a more strategic approach is critical for sustained performance. Read more: https://bit.ly/47335rW #PrivateEquity #Leadership #SuccessionPlanning

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