Finding the right leader begins with the right process.
Leadership transitions are pivotal moments in the life of any organization.
Especially in complex or high-stakes roles, it’s easy for searches to become personality-driven, politically fraught, or overwhelmingly noisy.
At Align, we guide searches that begin with clarity, move with discernment, and end with consensus.
We’re not just another search firm.
In fact, we’re not primarily a headhunter or recruiting agency.
We help organizations define what Good Fit actually looks like for this particular role in this particular organization in this particular next chapter you’re entering—and then we build a streamlined process around that clarity.
We’ve had the privilege of guiding searches for several high-profile organizations using this approach—most recently, the search for the new RUF Coordinator within the PCA. That search committee included a broad spectrum of perspectives, but concluded in unanimous enthusiasm around a candidate that everyone could support.
It didn’t happen by accident. It happened by design.
What makes our approach different?
Most searches skip a step.
They jump into reviewing résumés or debating names before they’re aligned on what the role actually demands. That’s where we start—by listening deeply, asking good questions, and creating shared clarity that will guide every stage to come.
1. Insight First
We begin every guided search with a defined Insight Stage. Through one-on-one interviews, focus groups, and context-specific inquiry, we surface the real needs—not just what’s in the job description. Out of that comes a shared definition of Good Fit: a detailed, contextual, non-partisan picture of the leader you’re actually looking for.
Deliverables include:
An updated job description
A “Good Fit Notes” document: your search committee’s shared page
Recommendations for remaining search stages (including a clear sense of our involvement — based on the specific desires & requests of the search committee)
2. Clarity That Filters Noise
With a clear picture of Good Fit, we can help the committee vet applicants quickly and wisely—filtering out unqualified candidates and reducing time spent in fruitless debate. Our tools are designed to help you move efficiently without sacrificing discernment.
For instance, our Good Fit Vetting Tool reduces the time spent reviewing each application from as much as 30-60 minutes each down to 5-10 minutes each.
3. Strategic Awareness Building
Rather than casting an indiscriminate net (and welcoming lots of bad-fit applicants in the process), we help you identify the best strategic and relational channels for putting the opportunity on the radar of the right potential candidates—often in highly human, personalized ways that make this part enjoyable instead of a pain.
4. Interviews That Reveal What Matters
We help you craft custom interview questions based directly on your Good Fit profile. Our structured, relational interview process helps candidates show who they really are—while giving the committee confidence in how to assess them.
5. Consensus That Lasts
Because unity around Good Fit comes early, reaching consensus on a final candidate becomes surprisingly smooth. Search committees we’ve guided often find themselves unanimously aligned in the final stages—even when they began with widely varying perspectives on what was most important to them.
It starts with a Good Fit Conversation.
We don’t just preach Good Fit during searches; we practice it ourselves — no matter what kind of organizational help we’re considering.
If you have an important search coming up (or in process), we’ll begin with a no-pressure, no-cost Good Fit Conversation. During one hour, we’ll:
Listen to your context
Reflect back what we’re hearing
Share how our search guidance could help—and explore out loud if we’re a Good Fit for one another and for this work together
No hard sell. Just honest discernment.
If we turn out to be a Good Fit for each other, we’ll preview next steps for Insight Stage design, pricing, and the shape of potential support. If we’re not a Good Fit, no worries — we’ll cheer you on as you move forward.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are the major challenges in a search, and how does ALIGN’s approach help us to manage or navigate them?
In our experience, most searches—especially for significant leadership roles—face three major challenges:
1. Noise
Searches often get noisy fast. Maybe it’s unsolicited names being thrown around too early. Maybe it’s a flood of unqualified applicants. Or maybe it’s the influence of well-meaning insiders who try to shape the process informally. That kind of noise can cloud discernment and stall progress.
ALIGN’s response: We begin with clarity. Through deep listening and structured insight work, we help the search committee define what Good Fit actually looks like—so the process doesn’t default to familiarity, charisma, or politics. That clarity becomes your filter for every voice, idea, or résumé that comes your way.
2. Time
Searches are notoriously slow and time-consuming. Committee members often feel like they’re stuck in meetings that don’t move the ball forward, or overwhelmed by the logistics of vetting too many candidates.
ALIGN’s response: We help reduce time-waste by building tools that streamline decision-making. For example, our custom-built vetting tool (based on your own “good fit” criteria) lets you evaluate each applicant in 10 minutes—not hours—so your committee’s time is focused and fruitful. We also help you design a strategic awareness plan to reduce irrelevant applications and reach the right candidates sooner.
3. Risk
The biggest fear? Choosing someone who’s the wrong fit. Every search carries the risk that your final candidate may not thrive—or worse, may inadvertently create confusion or division in a fragile moment.
ALIGN’s response: The most powerful way to reduce risk is to press into clarity early. Our Insight stage is designed to surface the true demands of the role, the cultural moment you're in, and the leadership character needed for this next chapter. From that, we design interview questions and discernment tools that allow you to move forward with confidence—not guesswork.
In short: ALIGN helps you quiet the noise, use your time wisely, and reduce the risks—not by shortcutting discernment, but by deepening it at every step.
How is this different from a typical search firm or recruiter?
Most search firms focus on recruiting and screening candidates. We focus on helping you define what Good Fit looks like—before you evaluate any names. Rather than outsourcing discernment, we guide your team (and other relevant experts) in doing it wisely and together. That way, the process becomes more unifying, less political, and much more likely to result in a leader you’re confident in right away and long-term.
We already have a job description. Why do we need an Insight stage?
A job description is a great starting point—but it’s often not enough. Our Insight stage goes deeper to uncover what this role actually requires in this chapter of your organization’s life, based on interviews, focus groups, and contextual analysis. That clarity shapes everything from how you screen candidates to how you build consensus.
Can we just hire you to run the whole process?
Sometimes. But we don’t assume that’s what’s needed. Every engagement begins with the Insight stage. That month of work helps us—and you—determine exactly what kind of support would be most valuable in the stages that follow. Some teams want ongoing guidance; others prefer a lighter-touch advisory role. We tailor the support to your needs.
How much does it cost?
Because we separate search guidance into two parts — the Insight stage and the rest of the search — we’re able to provide clear pricing for each. The cost of the Insight work depends on how many people need to be interviewed or included, and what kinds of listening (1:1s, focus groups, surveys) are appropriate. At the conclusion of the Insight stage, any additional work is scoped and priced collaboratively based on your needs. Most clients find the cost is modest compared to the clarity and unity it creates.
Will this help us avoid a personality-driven or politicized search?
That’s one of the key reasons we exist. Without a clear, shared definition of what matters most, search committees tend to revert to charisma, popularity, or the loudest voice in the room. Our process shifts that dynamic—so the search becomes a thoughtful, unifying discernment process rather than a debate about personalities or agendas.
How long does the Insight stage take?
Typically 3–5 weeks. That includes scheduling and conducting interviews, synthesizing the findings, and producing key documents like the “Good Fit Notes” and custom vetting tool. Even for time-sensitive searches, most teams find this front-loaded clarity actually accelerates the rest of the process.