One high-profile company that have thrived despite having two principal leaders during the early part of its development is Google. Dr. Douglas Merrill, who served as vice president of engineering for five years under company co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, observed their dynamic firsthand and extols the benefits of that relationship, which he claims only succeeded because of the senior leadership structure of the company.

"Larry and Sergey had [former CEO] Eric [Schmidt], who we often lovingly referred to as the 'adult supervision,' because he was the tie breaker when one was needed, the guy who could say, 'Hold up guys, let's back it up for a minute'," Merrill writes for a May 14 piece in The Huffington Post.

Google is not alone in their somewhat unorthodox approach to leadership, as evidenced by an Inc.com piece on the topic published May 17. The article profiles two sister telecommunications companies – MOBI Wireless Management and Bluefish Wireless Managements – that are operated by five different CEOs, each of whom works for a different department.

By divvying up decision-making responsibilities into the sales, IT, finance, marketing and operations spheres, the companies are able to allow their executives to become experts in one particular field. They can use their unique experiences to make the best decisions for the businesses, without infringing on one another.

This setup may not be ideal for all businesses, however. A retained executive search firm can advise companies as to whether this scenario will be ideal for their needs and can identify high-quality candidates on their behalf.

Early this year, Cuban wrote a piece for Entrepreneur Magazine that detailed the 12 rules he believes every entrepreneur needs to adhere to when launching a startup. The first item on the list, which should not be a surprise to anyone that is familiar with Cuban, is, "Don't start a company unless it's an obsession and something you love."

For these reasons, Cuban is what observers of the business world would call a "natural entrepreneur." Business leaders like Cuban, Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs possess the innate skills needed to thrive in the business world and are always willing to take massive risks, even in the face of extraordinary challenges.

On the other end of the spectrum are those "nurtured entrepreneurs," who may be more calculated and cautious as they wade into the tumultuous waters of the business world. Still, these entrepreneurs should not be doubted in how deeply they care about their ventures. Without that passion, they would be certain to fail.

"The vast majority of entrepreneurs don't go into business to become rich," according to a May 16 Inc.com story by Michael Alter. "There are thousands more 10-year successes than overnight successes, so you better enjoy what you're doing. This is a chance to make a career out of something you love."

As startups emerge from their formative stages, they may need the assistance of an executive with these natural abilities. The best way to find these talented business leaders is to partner with a retained executive search firm that can run a CEO search at an affordable cost to a company.

Although companies value prior industry experience from prospective executives, they also understand that these opportunities may not be as readily available as they once were. For this reason – and also because soft skills are extremely valuable anyway – many are increasingly studying a candidate's ability to communicate, manage time, be flexible and work with other people as they assess potential hires.

Applicants who have these skills are at a distinct advantage for most executive positions they apply for, assuming they are able to impress with their interpersonal skills throughout the job search process. With the war for talent being as fervent as it is, executive candidates cannot afford to squander away a potential opportunity because they failed to be personable in an interview. 

"The initial interest a prospective employer will have in you will be for your hard skills, your ability to perform the technical part of the job," Career Services director Barbara Schafer recently told The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "In the end, however, the things that will help you seal the deal on that interview will be your ability to market your soft skills and match them to the position."

Soft skills are also far more likely to persevere through the fluctuations of different industries, whereas certain hard skills and knowledge could become obsolete within a few years. Companies may think they are adept at identifying candidates with these vital soft skills, but to be safe, they may instead hire an industry-leading executive search firm to run their CEO search.

"Most of the time, leaders are aware that an employee has something else in the works," Spiegelman said. "A staffer might express feelings of unrest by asking for more responsibility or training. She might start to disengage, or exhibit a different work behavior. Pay attention, and take these early warning signs seriously."

By having an in-depth and honest conversation with a star employee whose patience may have worn thin with a particular company, a manager may be able to salvage the relationship and bring that worker back from the brink. As long as considerable efforts are made to address the employee's concerns, both parties can get back on the path toward repairing the tattered remnants of the relationship.

As an example, if an employee expresses frustration that he or she has not received adequate training for a position, a manager can easily rectify that situation. But again, if the relationship does not allow for honesty and dialogue, the employee may commit to a new job without ever trying to make their current job work.

The best way for managers to forge these types of relationships with employees is to engage in regular face-to-face meetings with workers. As such, managers will also be perceived as more caring, which overcomes the chief complaint of workers who leave their jobs – ineffective managers. To find C-level officers who have shown the ability to communicate effectively with employees, businesses should work with a retained executive search firm.

Sometimes, managers are simply not far enough removed from their teams to assess them fairly. They trust their team members and interact with them on a daily basis, so their judgment could become clouded. They might also rely on past performance to try to predict future outcomes, which could be a mistake. Context is constantly in flux, so a team that was successful in one instance may not be able to reach those levels again.

This is where an executive, who may be unfamiliar with individual team members, may have the somewhat distant perspective necessary to ensure that management decisions are made objectively. A coaching session with a manager, in which ideas are exchanged and a plan forward is formulated, is most likely to solve these problems.

"You need to find a way to engage this team in ways that enable them to succeed without intense supervision," Inc.com's John Baldoni wrote on May 10. "This means building a value system in which people hold one another accountable for results. When teammates do this, they keep each other engaged. They reinforce their sense of purpose by getting the job done right."

Executives who have experience mentoring future leaders are those who would be best able to coach in this manner. By soliciting a global executive search service provider to identify these leaders, a business can provide itself with a tactical advantage against its competitors as it strives to build or supplement its management team.

The most obvious direct costs of employee turnover are that new hires need to be trained before they can begin working for a business. Even then, an adjustment period for a new employee – until they are able to perform work of the same caliber as the person who they have replaced – can take six months to two years, which represents an extended period of lost productivity for a business. There's also the issue of the company's reputation and its relationship with clients, which can both be undermined by a revolving door of workers.

"Management can lose credibility when it creates an environment with excessive turnover, and existing employees can become demoralized and decide to move on," human resources consultant Tom Armour wrote for Entrepreneur Magazine in September 2011. "Too often, small-business owners don't consider how important it is to invest time and resources into their employees."

To avoid turnover, employers need to make the right hiring decisions. This is where background checks come into play, as they can reveal information about a candidate's past that could be indicative of future successes. Still, experts like Carol Schultz from Ere.net suggest that references represent merely the first step into a candidate's past and not the be all-end all for that individual.

The stakes are particularly high when it comes to hiring executives, who will oversee operations for a critical part of a company. A retained executive search firm should be trusted by these businesses to make the right hiring decisions, especially if it has a proven record of properly vetting candidates.

These are some of the less flattering traits that have been applied to Millennials as they enter the workforce. In some instances, these descriptions fit, although these traits can also produce valuable transformational change in companies. As such, businesses are continuing to adjust to the demands of members of this generation, as they vary greatly from the traits exhibited by their parents and grandparents.

"Raised by 'peer-ents' who encouraged them to constantly learn, grow and self-actualize, the quest for meaningful work that makes a difference has become a core Millennial trait," MTV executive Nick Shore wrote for MediaPost in March. "Multiply that by a pressure-cooker educational experience and empowering technology and you have a newly minted, high- octane workforce in the wings."

Shore was part of an MTV study titled "No Collar Workers," which explored the desires of Millennials as they enter the workforce. Many want their work to be fulfilling, challenging and empowering, with autonomy being extended to them as often as possible. The survey also determined that nearly nine out of every 10 Millennials want to have control over work assignments and learn while they are on the job.

If companies are able to conform to these expectations, they could reap the benefits of an engaged workforce for years to come. A suppressed turnover rate will help companies to control their costs, which begin to mount when they must constantly train new employees.

Before businesses begin a global executive search – for Millennial workers or those from other generations – they should have a retained executive search firm on their side to ensure that the ideal job candidate is hired at an affordable cost to the company.

"Innovation is driven by understanding and responding to consumers' needs. The deep connection between small businesses and their customers allows them to be at the forefront of innovation," according to Inc.com writers Bill Stewart and Karl Stark. "Larger firms certainly have advantages in the marketplace, but do not be mistaken: The economy is and will be defined by small business."

Small businesses may also provide employees with certain opportunities that are less likely to be provided by larger corporations, including the ability to work from home and more flexible working hours. This better work-life balance is something that many workers strive for, but in many cases, are unable to achieve.

The presumed growth of small businesses is reinforced by a March 2012 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) study that found businesses have fallen in size during each year of the 2000s, regardless of economic conditions.

As more workers are hired by small businesses, the level of competition will continue to surge for high-quality talent. This is where a retained executive search firm can provide invaluable assistance. Throughout the global executive search process, this recruiting service will identify the ideal candidates for particular positions, even when certain passive candidates would otherwise be unavailable for an interview.

Executive recruiters working for small businesses are also better equipped to make hiring recommendations, since decision makers for these companies do not necessarily have to be bogged down by bureaucratic approvals when it comes to new hires. Given the hyper-competitive hiring landscape, this represents an incredible advantage for startups.

After news reports began to surface last week that Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson's resume contained inaccuracies – he inaccurately claimed to have earned an undergraduate computer science degree – many vocal critics, including investor Dan Loeb, have called for his immediate firing in the absence of an adequate explanation as to the resume discrepancy.

Thompson has only been at the helm of Yahoo since January, following the abrupt departure of former CEO Carol Bartz, who was unceremoniously relieved of her duties (via a phone call) after less than two years on the job. Given the apparent persisting leadership crisis at Yahoo, some have begun to question the nature of recruiting in the business world and how it can be improved.

"Here's a public company with thousands of employees and shareholders trying desperately to turn itself around – or at least to do something right – after years and years of mismanagement," CBS contributor Scott Tobak wrote May 7. "Not to mention a guy's job on the line. And I seriously doubt eBay would take him back now. I wouldn't, that's for sure."

In a piece for Ere.net, David Dalka asks companies to consider executive recruiting processes that rely on face-to-face interactions with hiring managers, instead of a casual once-over of a resume. Dalka blames commonly accepted recruiting practices that focus too heavily on resumes, and not someone's abilities or background, for Thompson's error, whether it be deliberate or accidental.

Businesses in the midst of leadership problems should turn to a retained executive search firm to complete their global executive search. This recruiter will thoroughly vet candidates who appear to be an ideal fit for a company, which should guarantee that mistakes like those committed by Yahoo do not persist.

This mirrors the advice of Inc.com writer Tom Searcy, who details – through his own experiences – the potential landmines involved with hiring friends and family, including possible accusatations of favoritism and a lack of necessary professional distance that could lead to clouded judgment.

Instead of hiring these individuals, human resources expert Lou Adler recommends on Ere.net that businesses instead seek out job candidates who project an incomparable record of success throughout their professional lives.

"While these are different for each job, there are many obvious clues on the person's resume or LinkedIn profile," Adler writes. "Some clues include a series of industry or company awards and honors, a work-study fellowship, rapid progressions, special leadership roles, patents, whitepapers or industry conference speaker."

Even for experienced hiring managers, finding these clues is akin to identifying a particular species of flower buried in the underbrush of a forest full of far more impressive trees. Resumes may list a series of accomplishments that may or may not be as impressive as they seem at first blush, so some extra digging may be required to identify the perfect traits a company is looking for.

This is where an experienced retained executive search firm can prove to be an invaluable resource. In addition to having unparalleled access to a pool of high-quality passive job candidates, this executive recruiter will know which skills and experience translate over to projected success down the road.