A CEO perspective on the value of people
About Thomas Monahan
Tom Monahan, who became CEO of Heidrick & Struggles in 2024, has appeared in a series of interviews discussing leadership and organizational performance. In these appearances, Monahan stated that "great leadership — the right people in the right roles leading in the right way — is the single most important driver of high performing organizations." He described people as "the only thing inside an organization you suddenly realize it can be worth a lot more next year than this year" if leaders invest in their development. Monahan also outlined what he called a "leadership tool kit" that includes curiosity, active listening, treating facts as important, and finding collective ambition. Monahan introduced concepts including "summoning," which he described as the work of encouraging people who may not see themselves as typical leaders to take on leadership roles, and "switchboarding," which he characterized as connecting team members with the right mentors rather than trying to teach everything oneself. He also discussed the "shrink ray" as a leadership tool for focusing teams on the most leveraged part of a problem or opportunity. In a separate interview, Monahan noted that boards are increasingly looking for senior leaders who demonstrate "the ability to learn," because "any attempt to replicate the past is highly unlikely to reflect the future."