What makes some managers more precious than others? Organizations tend to assume that the answer lies in motivation and control: good managers are those who inspire effort, strengthen the morale of the team or effectively apply incentives. But, perhaps, the secret sauce is not how hard managers grow; It is how well they place. In new searches covering 200,000 employees and 30,000 managers in nearly 100 countries, I find that managers create value – for their organizations and those they manage – by appearing people to roles where they adapt best.
