For today’s conversation, we are sharing a highly practical interview from the Leadership Conference archives. This is Nicky’s conversation with Rebecca Stewart where they discuss how to effectively interview someone, the right way to let a team member go, and the obligation to dissent.
For today’s conversation, we are sharing a highly practical interview from the Leadership Conference archives. This is Nicky’s conversation with Rebecca Stewart from 2019. Rebecca started her own headhunting company called Goldstar Partners in 2015. With her extensive experience in headhunting, as well as in management and executive roles, Rebecca is a great resource for any organization looking to assemble the best team possible.
Nicky begins the interview in a humanizing manner, asking Rebecca to share about her and her husband Alex’s difficult journey of conception. Doctors told Rebecca early on that “medically speaking, it would be impossible for [them] to have children.” A decade of barrenness ensued, and all the while, Rebecca and Alex held tightly to a prophetic word that “the doctors wouldn’t have the final say.” In 2019, in front of Royal Albert Hall, Rebecca testifies to the miracle that the Stewart’s are not just a couple but a family of 4. In her words, “God can do remarkable things in the years of waiting.”
The conversation takes a turn to the practical, as Nicky gets Rebecca to draw from all of her headhunting experience, asking her questions like: how do you spot great people? How do you interview them? How do you let go of people who aren’t the right fit? Rebecca steps into the weeds, offering practical insight to each question. Her responses cover themes such as the 4 C’s to consider when hiring someone, the usefulness of silence & informality in an interview setting, and what “leadership hats” need to be worn to let someone go in a dignified manner. If you’re the one in your organization who is responsible for hiring and firing, this is the section to bring out the notebook and take notes.
To close, Rebecca puts Nicky on the hot seat, asking him to share one important rule he instituted in the Alpha & HTB world. This rule Nicky calls “the obligation to dissent.” For any leader looking to create a culture where both feedback and loyalty are values, this rule just might do the trick.
We hope you enjoy Nicky’s conversation with Rebecca Stewart.
Show Notes
Biography
Rebecca served on the staff at the HTB Group for 14 years, as Head of Alpha UK, COO and Group CEO, prior to which she worked in banking, consulting and head-hunting. Rebecca now works with charitable foundations and is the Vice-Chair of Alpha International. She is married to Alex and they have two children.
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