When a board reviews a shortlist and finds it underwhelming, the conversation usually turns to the market. The market was thin. The candidates were not available. The compensation was not competitive.
Occasionally that is true. More often, the shortlist is an accurate reflection of the brief it came from. If the brief described a job rather than an objective, the search will return people who can hold the job.
A better brief starts one step earlier. What is the organisation trying to achieve in the next two to three years, and which part of that depends on this appointment? That question changes the specification, the target market and the assessment.
It also changes the conversation with candidates. Senior people respond to a defined commercial problem far more readily than to a list of responsibilities, because the problem tells them whether they can succeed.
The practical test is simple. If the brief could be sent to three different firms and produce three similar shortlists, it is describing a role. If it produces three different answers, it is describing a decision, and that is where the value sits.
If the brief describes a job, the search will return people who can hold the job.
