Candid conversations with business leaders on their respective industries, including Life Sciences, Chemical Value Chain, and Food & Drink. Hosted by Andrew Kris, Founding Partner of Borderless.
The Art of Executive Leadership: Insights from Hervé Colleaux on Strategic Recruitment and Cultural Fit
•Borderless Executive Live
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Ready to unravel the secrets behind successful executive leadership? Join us as we chat with Hervé Colleaux, a veteran with 30 years of experience across B2B and B2C sectors. Hervé shares his unique journey from leading diverse teams to his pivotal role at Borderless Executive Search. Here, he meticulously matches leaders with companies that resonate with their core values and culture. Hervé's philosophy transcends traditional recruitment; it's not just about the right skills, but about finding someone who will thrive in a specific environment.
Discover how Hervé's multifaceted career, spanning sales, marketing, HR, and supply chain management, has equipped him with unparalleled insights into leadership. We delve into his strategic approach, including the importance of personality and cultural fit. Hervé also sheds light on contemporary strategies like "shift left" in manufacturing, which he explores through his thought-provoking LinkedIn posts. From his extensive network to his ability to craft the perfect leadership symphony, Hervé’s conversation is packed with valuable lessons for anyone interested in the nuances of executive search and leadership.
Speaker 1:
All right, everyone, welcome back. Get ready, because today we're doing a deep dive into executive search with none other than Hervé Collot.
Speaker 2:
And let me tell you this guy's career wow, pretty impressive stuff.
Speaker 1:
It really is something else. 30 years, three decades leading teams in get this, both B2B and B2C companies.
Speaker 2:
That's a really interesting point actually. I mean, not everyone gets to experience both sides of that coin.
Speaker 1:
Right, it's like for anyone listening who's not sure about that. Imagine selling, I don't know software.
Speaker 2:
Yeah.
Speaker 1:
But you're selling it to a giant company like a corporation that B2B business to business.
Speaker 2:
Gotcha yeah.
Speaker 1:
Now flip that around. You're selling that same software, but directly to people like you and me. Yeah, that's B2C business to consumer.
Speaker 2:
And Herb's navigated both worlds, which is well, that's saying something.
Speaker 1:
It really does. And the best part, he didn't just stay in one lane Sales marketing, hr, even supply chain management. This guy's got his hands in everything.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, if you look at his resume it reads like I don't know, almost like a textbook on just like how to do business, you know.
Speaker 1:
Totally, but here's where it gets really wild. He's now with Borderless Executive Search.
Speaker 2:
Which, for our listeners, it's a firm that basically handpits leaders for companies.
Speaker 1:
OK, so he went from leading teams to like finding the leaders. That's got to be.
Speaker 2:
It's not as simple as it sounds.
Speaker 1:
Oh, I bet. So what? He's like a leadership headhunter.
Speaker 2:
In a way, yeah, but it's more than just matching a resume to a job description.
Speaker 1:
It's got to be about personality too. Right, like you can teach skills but you can't teach someone to be a good leader.
Speaker 2:
Exactly, and that's something that really struck me about Herve. He gets that. He understands that finding the right fit for a leadership role. It goes way beyond just ticking off boxes on a checklist.
Speaker 1:
It's like that, saying you can teach skills but you can't teach personality and his focus on company culture really stood out to me.
Speaker 2:
Because it's crucial. It's like you can have the most skilled person in the world, but if they don't mesh with the company's vibe, it's a recipe for disaster, pretty much. And that's something you really get a sense of from his LinkedIn, by the way.
Speaker 1:
Oh yeah, what's he got going on over there?
Speaker 2:
Well, for one, the guy is connected. I mean, we're talking over 4,000 followers, 500 connections. But it's not just about the numbers.
Speaker 1:
It's about who those connections are.
Speaker 2:
Exactly. We're talking about some of the biggest names in energy, life sciences, consumer goods industries that, let's face it, impact everyone.
Speaker 1:
listening right now Okay, so we've established Herb's got the experience, the know-how and the network. But what makes him tick? What kind of leader is he himself?
Speaker 2:
Good question, and his LinkedIn actually gives us a few clues.
Speaker 1:
There's this quote. Hold on, let me pull it up here. Okay. So he says my aim is to match clients with leaders who not only possess the ideal mix of skills, experience and drive, but will also adapt and thrive within our clients unique culture, on which mutual success depends.
Speaker 2:
Wow, yeah, that's. That's quite a statement.
Speaker 1:
Right, it's like he's not just playing matchmaker, he's like crafting this whole leadership symphony.
Speaker 2:
It's about synergy for sure, Finding that leader who doesn't just fill a role but actually enhances the entire company.
Speaker 1:
Totally. It's like finding that missing puzzle piece, but for people.
Speaker 2:
Exactly. And speaking of pieces fitting together, remember how we were talking about staying ahead of the curve.
Speaker 1:
Oh yeah, you mean like leaders who are already thinking about tomorrow's challenges.
Speaker 2:
Right. So there is this post on Herve's LinkedIn that really caught my eye. He asks, and I'm quoting here what are the benefits of a shift left strategy in manufacturing?
Speaker 1:
Shift left. Hmm, okay, I'm going to be honest. I had to look that one up. Yeah, not exactly something we talk about every day, you know.
Speaker 2:
Totally. It's a bit jargony, but stick with me because it's actually really interesting. Imagine, instead of checking for quality only at the end of, say, a production line you're building in, quality checks throughout the entire process.
Speaker 1:
So you're catching problems before they even become problems.
Speaker 2:
Exactly, it's about being proactive, not reactive.
Speaker 1:
Makes sense. So how does this shift left thing connect to what we were talking about before, with leadership and all that?
Speaker 2:
Well, for someone like Hurd, who's out there finding top talent, understanding trends like shift left, it tells you he's looking for leaders who are already thinking about the future.
Speaker 1:
Ah, ok, so it's not just about what they've done, but how they think Gotcha.
Speaker 2:
It's about finding leaders who can not only steer the ship but navigate uncharted waters. You know.
Speaker 1:
That's actually a really good analogy. So it's like he's helping companies find a captain who can also read the stars.
Speaker 2:
Something like that. It's about vision, about anticipating the unexpected, and that requires a special kind of leader.
Speaker 1:
And that takes like a certain kind of person to be that leader.
Speaker 2:
Totally. It really does come back to what we were saying earlier, like about people skills, you know.
Speaker 1:
Oh, absolutely. You can have all the fancy tech in the world, all the strategies.
Speaker 2:
But at the end of the day, it's people who make things happen.
Speaker 1:
It's like they say people work for people, not just companies 100%.
Speaker 2:
And I think when you have that kind of leader, someone who gets that, who values those connections, that's where the magic happens.
Speaker 1:
And it sounds like, based on everything we've learned, that's something Herve understands.
Speaker 2:
He gets it and, more importantly, he looks for it in others.
Speaker 1:
Which is such an important takeaway from all this right I mean for our listeners, especially if you're thinking about your own career path.
Speaker 2:
It's like what can we learn from a guy like her?
Speaker 1:
Yeah, what's the secret sauce?
Speaker 2:
I don't know if there's one secret, but if there's one thing I'm taking away from all this, it's don't be afraid to be curious, you know, step outside your comfort zone, talk to people, Learn new stuff.
Speaker 1:
Be open to new possibilities.
Speaker 2:
Exactly. You never know where those conversations might lead.
Speaker 1:
Your next big career move could be just a LinkedIn message away.
Speaker 2:
Or a deep dive into someone else's career.
Speaker 1:
That's a good one. Well, that about wraps it up for our deep dive into the world of Herve Cullow. Hopefully this has given everyone a little something to think about.
Speaker 2:
Definitely a lot to unpack there.
Speaker 1:
We've got all the links to everything we talked about in the show notes, so don't worry if you missed anything.
Speaker 2:
And be sure to let us know what you thought.
Speaker 1:
Hit us up on social media. We want to hear from you, but until next time, thanks for tuning in and keep on diving deep.
