Yes, hiring for executive positions can feel like a pain in the neck. The reason for this is simple to understand and simple to change.

As an executive, you need to come to terms with the fact that hiring is one of the most important processes beckoning your involvement. Think about it – the person you hire today could be with your company for the next 25-30 years. And as such, will have enormous influence on what goes right and what goes wrong. Hiring is an investment in your company’s present and future.

I think the way to move hiring from the “pain in the neck” category to a high value activity is to follow these steps:

1. Create a hiring process that is systematic and makes sense – it should be orderly and take the candidates through steps that help your company, and them, to qualify if the position is a good “fit” for all parties involved

2. As an influential executive, see yourself as a role model in the hiring process – getting deeply involved in the details about the candidates through thoroughly reviewing their resumes, coming prepared to hiring team meetings with incisive questions, deriving insights from the candidate interviews and coming to the “decision” meeting with finely developed points of view

3. Spread the word in your company that hiring is a “mission critical” activity at all levels of the organization; you could also get HR involved in looking at the various ways different teams hire within the company, and share those good ideas across the organization

Keep in mind, that hiring is gatekeeping of the highest order. Your strong involvement in the hiring process will begin to transform your company as the workforce becomes even more incredible! And, you’ll feel great about what you’re helping your company achieve.