A leader can be highly accomplished, decorated, have a history of success, and yet still be the wrong leader for the job. Organizational context is everything. Even A-level players can fail if their leadership style or values are misaligned with the culture and business needs. This happens more often than you might think. 

Derailers are strengths that, when overused, become liabilities. For example, confidence can become arrogance when overused. High standards can become perfectionism. A highly analytical individual can be slow to act. A highly relational person can be conflict-avoidant. A highly resilient person may be unwilling to adapt to changing circumstances. Unfortunately, in interview settings, strengths often come through quite clearly. However, derailers are much more difficult to spot. 

Executive search, like all industries, has leveraged AI. Some firms use AI to source candidates; others use it to keep all search data in one place. AI can be very useful for scanning keywords, summarizing a candidate's background, and writing flawless reports. But AI cannot replace human judgment, especially when the decision in question has significant consequences. Leadership decisions carry real consequences, as a bad hire can affect not only an organization's strategy and culture but also its systems, processes, and employee motivation. While AI can dramatically improve executive assessment, it cannot interpret a leader in context.