Huihuiss

Bill Loun, CEO of Argos International, seems to believe that in the end,

the cream will rise to the top. But as this all-too-familiar case

study illustrates, companies that rely on selection alone to develop

leadership talent often run into serious problems. The power of

appointment is not enough. Argos's dilemma is not only about whether

Bert Donaldson is the right person for the job in Zurich. It is also

about the company's entire approach to executive development.

Developing leadership talent--domestic and international--should be a

partnership. It should be an ongoing process between the organization

and the individual. The organization should provide the opportunity

presented by challenging work, the support that ensures that the

individual has a chance to succeed, and the rewards that recognize the

risks the individual takes in his or her quest to accept new challenges.

The individual, for his or her part, must demonstrate the capacity to

grow and develop as well as the awareness of shortcomings and

developmental needs. The individual also must have the desire to change

and to take some risks.

Consider each of those requirements in the case of Argos International

and Bert Donaldson.

Opportunity.

The opportunity available at Argos Diesel, Europe, would be superb if

only the position and the assignment were designed correctly. In a

best-case scenario, the position that Bert Donaldson is filling would be

the nerve center for integrating the managers of Argos's recent key

acquisitions and for building team spirit. It would be the cornerstone

of a companywide effort to build important networks throughout Europe.

With the right parameters, it also could serve as a dynamic classroom

for someone developing the skills needed to excel in an international

setting.

As it stands, however, none of those goals can be realized. First, two

years is not nearly enough time to achieve them. Second, Donaldson is

the wrong person for the job. Under the best of circumstances, even a

well-connected executive from Europe would have trouble knitting the

managers into a team in two years. There