After the amazing opportunity to go to Churchill Downs for a
few days of horse racing including the Derby one thing became obvious fast,
elite horses are not handled casually.
They are studied, prepared, protected, and surrounded by
people who understand exactly what is at stake. No one waits until race day to
figure out the strategy. No one treats a champion like a backup option. No one
assumes talent alone is enough.
The same should be true for high-level executives and
managers.
Exceptional people are rare. They are high-performing,
heavily watched, and often already winning somewhere else. If they enter your
hiring process, they are not just evaluating the role. They are evaluating the
people, the pace, the communication, and the level of respect shown from the
first conversation.
And like Derby horses, they can sense the environment.
If the process is chaotic, they notice.
If communication is slow, they notice.
If leadership is not aligned, they notice.
If they feel like one of many instead of one of few, they notice.
Top candidates do not need to be chased recklessly, but they
do need to be handled with intention. That means clear expectations, thoughtful
communication, a streamlined process, and a team that understands their value.
You would not bring a champion horse to the Derby and leave
the gate unprepared.
So why bring a top candidate into a hiring process that is
disorganized, delayed, or lukewarm? The best talent is not won by accident. It
is won by preparation, respect, and timing.
At the Derby, the margin between winning and losing can be a
nose.
In executive hiring, it can be one delayed call, one vague
update, or one competitor who knows how to move faster.
