At tech event, Apple CEO Tim Cook talks about assembling a solid leadership team

On the first day of the recent “D: All Things Digital” technology conference, Apple CEO Tim Cook took the stage for an in-depth interview with the event’s hosts. Discussion covered various topics, including Cook’s leadership of Apple, the legacy of his predecessor, Steve Jobs, and general trends in the technology market.

Cook appeared to be primarily interested in keeping the conversation focused on Apple’s product line, but he also had much to say on the subject of effective corporate leadership and team-building. He said he was working to preserve the innovative corporate culture at Apple and ensure that it remained a place where people wanted to work.

He also stressed the value of maintaining the loyalty of top people. “We have a privilege, because if I look around the executive team, many of the people are people I have been working with for double-digit years,” Cook said. But of course, in order to retain talented individuals, you have to hire them first.

One of the best ways for a company to ensure that it is filling its most important executive jobs with high-caliber individuals is to conduct searches in coordination with an executive recruiting firm. Working with professional recruiters adds an extra dimension to any given candidate search, as they bring an intensive focus and an unmatched level of experience to the hiring process. This allows them to ensure that applicants are thoroughly qualified and only selected for positions at companies where they can excel.

In fact, that’s exactly how Steve Jobs came to hire Tim Cook as Apple’s chief operating officer (COO) in 1998. Working with professional recruiters helped him identify the man who would not only govern Apple’s worldwide operations for over two decades, but ultimately succeed him as CEO. And, Cook continues to stand as a firm reminder of the value of working with a quality executive recruiting firm.