The acronym CEO may soon be replaced by CTO - for chief talent officer - as firms increasingly focus on ensuring they have the right talent at the top. Steve Krupp and William Pasmore of Oliver Wyman consulting highlight the importance of aligning the leadership profile with the strategy. 'There are countless generic models that describe what it takes to be a successful executive in any corporation. The difficulty is that they provide little guidance for a CEO who needs to be confident the right leadership is in place to deliver a specific business strategy at a specific point in time,' they warn in the Marsh & McLennan Cos. journal Viewpoint. One CEO confided that every time he wants to do something significant he looks at his team and sees he has nobody to carry out the strategy. They note the CEO must also determine what mission-critical roles need special focus because of their make-or-break impact. For firms seeking global growth, for example, the spotlight is increasingly on the country manager role, where often there is a shortage of people with appropriate skills.
