All Articles

27 Oct

What Should an Interim Management Services Agreement Include? Key Terms for Businesses

Reviewed By Vijay Karkare Managing Director @Cornerstone IndiaKey HighlightsAn interim management agreement defines the role, responsibilities, and terms of a temporary executive appointment.Clear goals, payment terms, timelines, and exit conditions help prevent disputes.Confidentiality, data protection, and intellectual property clauses protect business interests.Businesses should define decision-making powers and...

26 Oct

How to Compare Leadership Development Consulting Firms: A Framework for HR Decision-Makers

Reviewed By Vijay Karkare Managing Director @Cornerstone IndiaKey HighlightsChoose a consulting partner based on your business goals, leadership gaps, and future talent needs. Check the firm's experience, assessment methods, and approach to leadership development. Look for clear plans, measurable outcomes, and support after training ends. Compare service scope, costs, timelines,...

26 Oct

How to Build a Performance Improvement Plan for Employees: A Practical Guide for HR Teams

Reviewed By Vijay Karkare Managing Director @Cornerstone India Key HighlightsA Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) helps employees understand performance gaps and take clear steps to improve. HR teams should set specific goals, agree on timelines, and provide regular feedback. A fair PIP focuses on support, skill development, and measurable progress rather...

20 Oct

The Rise of Strategic HR Leadership and the Modern CHRO

Reviewed By Vijay Karkare Managing Director @Cornerstone IndiaStrategic HR leadership has moved from a supporting function to a core boardroom mandate, and the modern CHRO now sits at the same strategic table as the CFO and COO — a shift I've watched unfold clearly in the kind...

19 Oct

Why Cultural Fit Matters When Hiring CEOs and Senior Executives

Reviewed By Vijay Karkare Managing Director @Cornerstone IndiaWhen a company hires a senior leader, the obvious place to start is the candidate’s track record. Have they delivered results? Have they managed a large business? Have they handled complexity and led teams through difficult periods?These are important questions,...

18 Oct

Why Passive Candidates Matter in C-Suite Hiring

Reviewed By Vijay Karkare Managing Director @Cornerstone IndiaSome of the most useful conversations in executive search begin with a leader who was not planning to change jobs. They may be focused on delivering a business plan, building a team or working through a major transition. They are...

17 Oct

How AI Is Changing Executive Search in 2026

Reviewed By Vijay Karkare Managing Director @Cornerstone IndiaAI is changing how organisations find, organise and interpret information, and executive search is no exception. Tools can help consultants research talent markets, review professional profiles and compare experience against a role’s requirements. Used well, they can take some of...

11 Oct

The Biggest Challenges in C-Suite Executive Search

Reviewed By Vijay Karkare Managing Director @Cornerstone IndiaHiring a CEO, CFO, CHRO or business head is rarely just a recruitment exercise. The person who takes the role will influence business priorities, organisational culture, teams and the company's ability to respond to change. This makes C-suite hiring one...

30 Sep

How Executive Search Firms Evaluate Leadership Potential

Reviewed By Vijay Karkare Managing Director @Cornerstone IndiaExecutive search firms evaluate leadership potential through structured competency interviews, psychometric and behavioural profiling, and reference conversations that go well beyond a candidate's own provided contacts — a deliberately layered approach, because no single method reliably predicts how someone will...

29 Sep

The Role of Market Mapping in Executive Search

Reviewed By Vijay Karkare Managing Director @Cornerstone IndiaMarket mapping in executive search is the systematic work of identifying, profiling, and tracking senior leaders across an industry before a specific vacancy ever appears — and it's the single most consequential stage clients rarely see, because it happens before...