Why Selecting Leaders Is So Difficult

The focus of this paper is on the importance of understanding the selection and testing process for top-level organizational leaders, managers, and supervisors and identifying the reasons why so many organizations are unsuccessful in selecting people for those critical positions. The paper begins by identifying five major problems that explain why organizations are limited in their ability to select the right people for top level managerial and leadership positions. Citing information from scholars, academic institutions, research organizations, and the Society for Human Resource Management, we identify root causes of “the leader selection problem” and offer eight specific recommendations for addressing that problem in public sector, private sector, and nongovernmental organizations of all types. We conclude the paper by urging organizational leaders, academic faculty and administrators, research organizations, and leaders and practitioners in the human resource management field to take seven important action steps that will improve the likelihood of organizations selecting more effective leaders and managers.