After nearly three decades in the front office of three National Hockey League teams, I’ve embraced the shift from executive revenue leader to Managing Director of Revenue at TurnkeyZRG. These days, I'm constantly engaging with executives across the sports and entertainment industry, and there’s one question I’m often asked: “What do you look for when recruiting executive talent?”

This curiosity inspired this month's topic: the importance of culture in recruiting. At TurnkeyZRG, our role is to find leaders who align with our clients' vision and contribute positively to their organizational culture, especially during transitional phases. Evaluating a candidate’s skills is straightforward, but understanding how they fit within a company’s cultural framework is where we add immense value.

My experience as an executive taught me that culture is the "secret sauce." It’s not enough to be highly skilled—cultural alignment is crucial for a candidate’s success. I have made great hires and learned from those that didn’t quite fit. My blind spots as a deeply embedded team member made it hard to see candidates from an outside perspective. That’s why organizations hire us—to provide new perspectives and ensure a complement to their culture.

At TurnkeyZRG, we leverage the PXT assessment tool, a comprehensive "full person" evaluation designed to measure how well individuals fit specific roles within an organization. By assessing cognitive abilities, behavioral traits, and interests, PXT creates a detailed profile of a candidate's suitability for a job. This tool compares each candidate's profile against the specific requirements of the job role, allowing for a more precise evaluation. By relying on standardized assessment criteria, PXT helps us minimize subjective biases, ensuring a fairer and more effective hiring process. This approach not only enhances the accuracy of our evaluations but also contributes to building stronger, more aligned teams.

Collaboration has become a buzzword in today's business environment, but what does it truly signify, and how is it effectively manifested in the workplace? True collaboration means creating an environment where disagreement is safe. It's part of a healthy, psychologically safe workplace and helps both communication and leadership flourish. Mastering collaboration across all organizational levels is key to business success. While strategies and tech are important, strong collaboration and a unified vision are what drive progress.

Leadership alignment is critical. If teams, particularly in strategy, marketing, and revenue, are not aligned, productivity stalls, meetings increase, deadlines slip, and stress mounts. Better collaboration, however, leads to efficient problem-solving, role optimization, and collective success.

In my role, it’s fascinating to hear leaders share their visions and challenges. As someone who’s led teams, I understand the pressure, especially in revenue. Achieving targets is just the beginning; staying committed to the culture that drives success is what truly matters. Peter Drucker famously said, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Great culture means being part of something bigger, aligning with your skills and purpose, and pursuing shared goals passionately. As someone who’s always dreamed of winning the Stanley Cup, I understand the importance of providing your team with the best resources and coaching.

Hiring new leaders should be an invigorating process rather than a burden. It presents an opportunity to introduce fresh perspectives, diverse backgrounds, and new skills, as well as to redefine roles that can transform your organizational reporting structure. At TurnkeyZRG, we commence this journey by acting as thought leaders. We meticulously assess your organizational framework and provide insightful feedback while evaluating your compensation goals against market benchmarks to ensure alignment before engaging talent. We also thoroughly delve into understanding your company’s brand, allowing us to convey an accurate depiction of your team culture to candidates and to future-proof opportunities for growth and development.

When considering whether to hire a firm like TurnkeyZRG, reflect on the reasons behind your hesitation. Is cost a concern, or do you believe your internal team can handle it independently? It's possible you have the necessary resources, but have you contemplated the additional value that could be achieved by combining your internal talent acquisition team with external expertise? Do you see a partnership as a cost or an investment? Furthermore, have you considered the benefits of retaining a single firm for all your recruiting needs, ensuring consistency and efficiency rather than starting anew with each hiring requirement?

An often-overlooked aspect is the opportunity cost of having your senior leaders, especially within revenue lanes, bogged down in recruiting. These processes can be extremely time-consuming, sometimes taking months. Even if they 'can' manage recruiting, is it truly in the organization's best interest to divert them from their core responsibilities? If any of these questions resonate with you, let’s schedule time to explore how a relationship with TurnkeyZRG could be beneficial for your company.

By reflecting on these aspects, you may discover the untapped potential of a collaborative approach, bringing unparalleled value and growth to your organization. For true leadership, recognize your strengths and challenges to leverage your team’s capabilities. A key measure? The leaders you develop. Surround yourself with purpose-driven people committed to visions and ideas over drama.

Let’s embrace the power of good culture and leadership and watch as it transforms both our teams and outcomes.