Guide for Search Firm Associates Writing a Mandate Brief
A weak brief produces a weak shortlist. A strong brief for an interim CEO or fractional CMO mandate is one page long, states the real problem in one sentence, names the outcomes, and lists three things the candidate will not do.
The short answer
A weak brief produces a weak shortlist. A strong brief for an interim CEO or fractional CMO mandate is one page long, states the real problem in one sentence, names the outcomes, and lists three things the candidate will not do.
Practical steps
- Write the problem in one sentence before hiring or acting
- Name the single person who signs decisions
- Set a defined mandate with a written outcome and end date
- Separate governance decisions from operating decisions
- Communicate internally faster than externally
What good looks like
- A named operator in seat within days, not weeks
- A written 90-day plan agreed before signing
- Clear exit terms for the operator and any incumbent
- Board and shareholders aligned in writing
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