Why Year-1 Scorecards Are the Key to Better Executive Hires

By Patty Sipes | Managing Director, Alder Brooks‍‍

Former CEO & CCO | Life Sciences Commercial Leadership

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Most executive searches obsess over resumes, logos, and credentials.

But none of that predicts whether a candidate can actually deliver the outcomes your business needs in the next 12 months.

If you want to make better hiring decisions — stop anchoring on the past. Start anchoring on outcomes.

Year-1 Outcomes Create the Right Hiring Signal

This is where most CEOs rush.

They define the role — but not the result.

Before you speak with a single candidate, get clear on this:

What needs to be true 12 months from now?

Be specific.

👉 Is this a turnaround?

👉 Is this about stabilizing a chaotic pipeline?

👉 Is this rebuilding GTM fundamentals?

👉 Is this pure growth acceleration?

Different outcomes require different muscles. And the only way to hire the right leader is to start by defining those outcomes.

Build a Year-1 Scorecard First

Pick 5 outcomes that matter most.

Some examples:

• Net revenue growth with a specific % lift
• Enterprise win rate improvement
• Expansion revenue target
• Pipeline velocity increase
• Pricing leakage reduction
• Forecast accuracy improvement
• Team rebuild or key hires delivered

Once these are locked in, now you can screen for what matters:

Who has done this before — in a similar environment — with similar constraints?

That’s the match that matters.

The Resume Becomes Secondary

Pedigree is not the predictor of performance.

Past context + outcome alignment = performance.

Hire for what your business needs now — not for what looked impressive somewhere else.

The Bottom Line

Outcome clarity leads to better hiring decisions.

Year-1 scorecards cut through noise and eliminate bias toward shiny backgrounds.

When you hire for results — not resumes — you hire leaders who actually move the business.

Patty Sipes
Managing Director, Alder Brooks

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