Surface Signals Can Feel Safe​

But It's Not Where Security Is Found​

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Talent is the most volatile risk to the execution of strategy, but the risk is asymmetric. An underperforming employee compromises a workflow. An underperforming leader jeopardizes the entire value creation plan.

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Mitigating this risk requires looking beyond superficial optics, biases, and artful language that conflate candidates with superstars. This 'superstar trap' typically stems from two sources of skewed due diligence:

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• Superlatives and indiscriminate language can lead to misplaced confidence in a candidate's abilities. Words like 'excellent' and 'best' are unquantifiable and lack a defined ceiling, and are often used to generalize and exaggerate performance. A superlative superstar may well be great, but without the data, it remains a gamble.​

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• Big-logo brands and personal recommendations can create a prestigious 'superstar effect' that bypasses scrutiny. When prestige supplants rigorous analysis, it creates a false sense of security—flags are excused, and the investment thesis is compromised.​​​

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Superlatives  ≠  Objective

Prestige  ≠  Diligence​​​​​