I always find surveys interesting and many have left me scratching my head. This particular study reported that “Some 80 percent of Boston-area employers say it’s difficult to find “strategic thinkers” in the Boston-area talent pool. According to a 2009 survey by #Camden Consulting Group and the Human Capital Institute…” Full article:http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2009/07/20/daily66.html So I read the report and I found this in the first bullet in the summary: “Boston Employers experience significantly fewer barriers to acquiring and retaining needed talent than the national average.” There is a very positive theme throughout the report when you compare national average to the Hub. Just thought it was worth mentioning.
But, let’s go back to the title, “'Strategic Thinkers' hard to find in Boston”. Come on, for starters there was no agreed-upon definition for 'Strategic'. I've worked with hundreds of organizations, each with their own definition of Strategy. I know there is no lack of Strategic thinkers in Boston. On average, I meet 10 executives a week- all have different levels of strategy but I can assure you there is no lack. More specifically, there is a lack of ability and desire to hire strategic thinkers. Reality is, companies are all looking for people who can make immediate positive impact on the organization. This impact is generated by tactics, not strategy. Until companies decide they are going to hire for strategy (and that time may not be far off) the hiring practices will speak louder than any survey.
MATT GILL | Senior Vice President | Executive Search
Pile and Company, Inc. | 800 Boylston Street, 14th Floor | Boston, MA 02199
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