The Global Edge: Why Cultural Nuance is Essential in Executive Search
This article was contributed by Angela Borbe
Executive search is evolving rapidly.
Leadership teams today are increasingly cross-border, hybrid, and digital-first. Organisations now have access to broader talent pools than ever, but this reach demands deeper expertise in assessing and interpreting leadership potential.
The best candidates aren’t always local. And effective leadership doesn’t always present itself in predictable ways.
To build resilient, future-ready executive teams, organisations must broaden their definitions of leadership and deepen their understanding of context.
Global Talent Is Here — But Often Misunderstood
Remote work and global ambitions have extended the reach of talent acquisition, but they’ve also introduced new complexities.
Having led searches across diverse markets including the US, Japan, Singapore, and the UK, I’ve seen how leadership behaviours such as confidence, humility, and influence are often expressed differently depending on cultural norms. What appears reserved in one context may be read as composed in another. What feels bold in one environment may reflect drive and urgency in another.
For example, in some East Asian business cultures, leadership is often demonstrated through harmony, consensus-building, and thoughtful decision-making. In contrast, many Western business environments tend to value assertiveness and speed. Neither is superior. They are simply different expressions of leadership shaped by history, values, and local expectations.
Similarly, in markets where long tenure with a single organisation is common, it may signal loyalty, depth, and resilience. Elsewhere, frequent career moves may be viewed as a sign of adaptability and ambition. What matters is recognising these signals in the right context, rather than applying a single lens across all profiles.
In executive search, this means we need to:
Interpret capability, not just charisma
Look for patterns of impact, not just style
Recognise leadership in multiple expressions, not just familiar ones
When we apply too narrow a lens, we risk overlooking transformational leaders who don’t fit traditional or majority expectations. The opportunity and responsibility lies in staying open to difference while using a rigorous, evidence-based approach.
Inclusive executive search isn’t only about representation. It’s about recognising potential that might present differently across geographies, industries, or cultural norms. That requires conscious de-biasing, a broader leadership vocabulary, and search processes designed to surface high-potential talent that may otherwise be overlooked.
Precision Over Perception
Hiring leaders is one of the most significant investments a business can make. It requires time, resources, and trust. All of which are invaluable. The right leader can accelerate growth, build trust with stakeholders, and shape culture. The wrong hire can do the opposite, with long-lasting consequences for both performance and reputation.
At senior levels, the cost of a mis-hire is particularly high. That’s why it’s critical to move beyond gut feel or first impressions.
Structured assessments such as Hogan help bring rigour and objectivity to the process. Hogan, in particular, focuses on reputation: how a person is likely to be perceived by others in a leadership context. This is crucial because it’s often a leader’s reputation, not just their intentions, that drives their real-world impact.
These tools offer insight into:
What motivates a candidate
How they respond under pressure
Where they are likely to thrive or derail
Whether their values and leadership style align with the organisation’s direction
When combined with cultural intelligence and professional judgment, assessments like Hogan allow us to look beyond cultural filters or presentation styles. They help identify not just who a candidate is, but how others will experience them and whether that aligns with the outcomes a business needs.
Used thoughtfully, assessments become more than a screening tool. They support alignment, onboarding, and long-term performance, helping businesses make smarter, more confident leadership decisions.
Executive Search with a Global Lens
Today, executive search is about more than filling roles. It’s about mitigating risk, ensuring cultural fit, and building teams prepared for a complex, fast-changing world.
Crucially, the process of identifying talent is not one-size-fits-all. It must be tailored to the outcomes your business is trying to achieve:
How do we identify strong talent that can unlock growth and drive progress?
How do we assess someone’s suitability when they come from a background outside the traditional mould?
And what does true leadership mean in the context of your organisation: your strategy, culture, and values?
These are the questions that should shape a modern executive search process. It’s not just about global reach, it’s about having the cultural fluency to interpret leadership in the right context.
This approach protects brand reputation, ensures fair and inclusive outcomes, and reflects what boards and investors increasingly expect: leadership that is not only commercially capable but also aligned with purpose, priorities, and stakeholder expectations.
And hiring is just the beginning. Effective onboarding, particularly across cultural or geographical boundaries, requires intentional and tailored support. Without it, even the most capable leader can falter in the wrong context.
The Takeaway
In a world of borderless opportunity, executive search requires more than access to global talent. It demands insight, structure, and cultural nuance. Whether you're hiring for growth markets, international expansion, or cultural transformation, the leaders you select will define your next chapter. Choose them with care and with context.