Ring Fitness: Why Interviewing Is a Different Skill to Leading

The executives who interview well

The executives who consistently perform well in mid-market interviews tend to share a few habits. They speak plainly, not in corporate jargon. They give specific examples rather than broad strategic statements. They demonstrate they understand what is happening under the hood, not just the governance around it. And they talk with personal accountability instead of hiding behind "we".

That last point matters more than people realise. In a large enterprise, success is often collective. You are part of a machine with layers of support, specialist functions, and established processes. In a mid-market business, the board, the founder, and the executive team want to know what you actually did. What decision did you own? What problem did you solve directly? What would you do again, and what would you not?

The overlooked factor: ring fitness

But there is another factor I think gets overlooked. Ring fitness.

Many senior leaders in large organisations simply do not spend much time out in the market. They are busy leading teams, delivering outcomes, and juggling family life. They rarely attend industry events, build external networks, or regularly meet potential future employers.

Then one day they are in a cold interview for a role they really want. It is a bit like expecting to win your first boxing match after twelve months out of the ring.

The leaders who consistently interview well are not always the most capable. They are often the ones who have stayed connected to the market, practised telling their story, and learnt how to translate enterprise experience into language that resonates with a mid-market business.

Capability matters. So does preparation.

Capability matters. It always will. But in a competitive process, the difference between the person who gets the role and the person who does not is often how well they perform in the room, not how well they performed in their last role.

Mid-market businesses hire differently. They are less interested in polished presentations and more interested in evidence. They want to see that you can operate without the infrastructure you are used to. That you can make decisions with incomplete information. That you can work directly with a founder or a private equity-backed board and still get things done.

• Speak in outcomes, not frameworks. Mid-market leaders want to know what changed because of you.
• Show you understand the business model. Revenue, margin, cash flow, and growth constraints matter here.
• Own your decisions. "I decided to..." is more powerful than "The business decided..."
• Be curious, not defensive. Ask about the team, the pressure points, and what success looks like in year one.

How to stay ring-fit

Ring fitness is not about job hunting constantly. It is about staying in touch with the market before you need it. That means showing up to industry events, having coffee with peers, playing golf with people outside your immediate circle, and being open to conversations that may not have an immediate outcome.

It also means practising your story. Not a rehearsed pitch, but a clear, honest account of what you have built, what you have learned, and what you are looking for next. The executives who interview best can tell that story in five minutes or fifty, depending on the room.

If the only time you think about your narrative is when you need a new role, you are already behind. The best time to build ring fitness is when you are not looking.

A final thought

Capability matters. But so does ring fitness, my friends. Make time to get to events, play golf with industry peers, and do beer or coffee meetings with the people who might one day hire you, or recommend you, or simply keep you sharp.

The market rewards the people who stay in it.