Many successful executives have an embarrassing problem that’s becoming more painful by the day. Their hiring instincts are failing. And HR is fiddling while Rome burns.

Titans of industry often built their careers by sacrificing their individual wishes to effectively work within the system. They hire people willing to make the same trades and sacrifices they have. They like people who play well with others—who know when to push and when to back off. They call this “hiring people with political acumen.” And when times are good, the corporate diplomat is king.

But when the world economic order is being radically reshaped, many organizations need to hire a revolutionary, not a politician. When your business is under siege, the corporate diplomat is an effete dilettante. When the chips are down, the Misfit Toy is king.

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