L. Duksaitė: What Makes an Executive Choose the Owner They Want to Work For?

When conducting executive searches, I consistently see that two factors matter most:

Values and autonomy.

Values may sound philosophical, but in practice they are reflected in very concrete, everyday decisions. How do we respond to mistakes? How do we handle differing opinions? Do we trust people and delegate responsibility, or do we control every step? Do we look for someone to blame, or do we look for solutions?

What matters here is not whether the owner and the executive have the “right” values. What matters is whether their values align.

Both may be highly direct and demanding. Both may be deeply people-oriented and relationship-focused. Problems arise when they fundamentally view the world differently.

In such cases, even an executive who is a perfect fit on paper is unlikely to stay for long. The experience is relevant, the industry expertise is there, and the track record is impressive. Yet after a few months, both sides realize that they are simply not the right fit for one another.

The second important factor is autonomy.

There is a common belief that the best owners give their executives maximum freedom to operate.

And yes, such owners are often viewed as highly attractive. However, in practice, success is determined less by the amount of autonomy and more by the alignment between the owner’s and the executive’s expectations regarding autonomy.

If an owner wants to be actively involved in decision-making, that is not necessarily a problem. The problem arises when they hire an executive who requires a high degree of independence.

Likewise, not every executive seeks complete autonomy. Some perform best when working closely with the owner and having frequent interaction.

Interestingly, greater autonomy is often easier to establish when there is geographic or structural distance between the owner and the executive. For example, when the investor is based in another country or when the company is owned by a private equity fund. It is much harder to achieve when the owner sits in the office next door.

When working with business owners, we always pay close attention to these two factors—and, most importantly, to how well they align.

Because in executive hiring, success is rarely determined by competence alone. More often, it comes down to compatibility.