Latest / Fit Happens: Why CEOs and Leaders Succeed or Fail

Why Six Months Can Turn You Into a Better CEO Candidate
Boards rarely hire the most capable person. They hire the one who feels the safest to defend.
In this solo episode, Jason Baumgarten breaks down signaling theory and what it actually means for how leaders get chosen. He explains why credentials often function less as proof of capability and more as a shortcut decision makers use to reduce risk under uncertainty, and why that shortcut can quietly reward the wrong things. Drawing on real examples from board and CEO searches, Jason unpacks how the exact same person can be seen as "not ready" one month and "highly qualified" the next, with…
The skinny
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