leadership-recruitment-lieutenant-strategy

This strategy focuses on "raiding" the lieutenants of best-in-class organizations to find battle-tested talent that is ready for a "step up" in scope without the baggage of inflated titles.

The Lieutenant Search Process

1. Identify Reference Companies

Do not look at your direct competitors. Instead, identify companies that are "best-in-class" at the specific function you are hiring for and serve a similar customer profile.

• Match Customer Types: If you serve SMBs, look at companies like Square or DoorDash. If you serve Enterprise, look at Salesforce or Workday.
• Functional Excellence: Identify who is currently winning in the specific domain (e.g., Square for Compliance/Risk, Airbnb for Design, Facebook for Growth).

2. Map the Org Chart

Use LinkedIn and your network to reconstruct the organizational structure of the reference company.

• Identify the "Head of": Find the person currently leading the department at the reference company.
• Identify the Lieutenants: Look for the people reporting directly to that head.
• Target the "Lieutenant of the Lieutenant": These individuals are often the ones doing the deepest tactical work while managing significant teams. They are frequently ready for a "Head of" role at a smaller company but are blocked by the hierarchy at their current firm.