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You’re waiting for the perfect role, but you’re missing the moment
You're waiting for the perfect role, but you're missing the moment
MARKET OBSERVATIONS 2025/26
Many leaders wait for the perfect C-suite role, but timing works differently. Boards move in cycles of pressure, changes, and mandates. The best candidates initiate conversations before a role is public, through sponsors and contextual sparring. If you wait until you apply for vacancies, you're often too late. Our Career Leap Program helps you manage timing with a radar, sponsor mapping, and board-proof evidence, via the Board Readiness Scorecard and an intake.
If you wait until the public is there, you’re often option five.
Vacancies are the end of a process, not the beginning. By the time you see a role, others have already spoken, calibrated, and built influence.
That feels frustrating. It’s changeable.
My Observations
Timing is driven by three signals:
- Pressure, performance, reputation, regulation, incidents
- Changes, board, C-suite, shareholders, investor intent
- Mandate, room to build, or damage control
Top candidates scan these signals and initiate conversations before a title is circulated.
Unvetted leaders miss this because they start too late and lack sponsors.
Advice
Build your timing system.
- Create a radar of 20 organizations
Choose by sector, governance quality, strategic direction. - Track 3 signals per organization:
Board changes, strategic direction, performance pressure. - Schedule 6 contextual conversations every quarter
Don’t apply. Spar. - Use your 3 signature cases in every conversation
So your evidence is consistent. - Define your move criteria
5 bullets: Mandate, direction, board support, power dynamics, reputation.
Resistance
Resistance. I can’t gamble.
This isn’t gambling. This is gathering information and developing options.
Resistance. I’m loyal.
Being loyal and being prepared aren’t mutually exclusive.
You don’t win by waiting. You win by starting conversations earlier, with evidence and with sponsors.
Invitation
Want to sharpen your radar and move criteria? Take the Board Readiness Scorecard and schedule an intake. Then, within Career Leap, we’ll build your timing strategy so you’ll no longer be late.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I know I’m late?
If you only respond to public vacancies and your conversations rarely lead to follow-up. - What’s the best first conversation?
Sparring about a problem with someone close to the decision-makers. - How many organizations should I follow?
15 to 25 is doable if you do it consistently.