Hear from the experts: What makes a great fractional executive?

By Canopy Team

So you’ve made the decision to bring in a fractional expert to fill a key executive role. Chances are, it’s a smart choice, especially as you consider the cost-to-impact ratio.

Now, it’s time to face down the next big decision: which fractional expert is right for the role, your organization and your specific situation? Like any hire, getting this right is the most important factor in whether your plan succeeds or stalls out.

To give yourself a better shot at finding the right person the first time, the first tip is to go to a company like Canopy Advisory Group to help. Canopy provides business owners and organization leaders with access to a community of more than 200 vetted fractional experts across a wide range of disciplines, which can massively speed up your fractional hiring process, as well as giving you the peace of mind that comes with knowing that every candidate exists at the top quality tier.

The second tip is to know what to look for in the interview process. In hiring a fractional expert, you’re looking for the combination of experience, competence, confidence, attitude and skills that are most relevant to the specific problem you’re trying to solve with your hire. All of these elements become even more important when you’re hiring for an executive-level role.

To help you make the most of your fractional executive interview process, we asked members of our Canopy community of experts to identify the attributes they feel separate the great fractional experts from the rest.

Communication and Stakeholder Management

Every expert who weighed in, regardless of their discipline and area of expertise, included exceptional communication skills and the ability to work across departments and levels as critical attributes for any successful fractional executive.

While excellent communications skills are an asset in nearly any position (in-house and otherwise), they are especially important for fractional executives given the nuances of the role. 

To be successful, a fractional expert must 1) get up to speed quickly, 2) make progress in limited hours per week and in a set time span and 3) generate buy-in across an organization to be able to assign work and drive projects. All three require the skills of an empathetic and effective communicator, and someone who can immediately gain trust and come across as someone members of the team will enjoy working with.

“Communication, makes the difference between clarity and chaos. The best Fractional CMOs communicate proactively, consistently, and with purpose,” said Canopy Fractional Marketing Expert Kate Wells. “They define the what, why, and when, and they make sure everyone, from executives to interns, knows where things are headed. They don’t just lead marketing, they align teams, shape culture, and drive momentum.”

Confidence and Conviction

Confidence and conviction are critical attributes for fractional executives because of how much they can increase speed-to-impact.

“Search committees, consultants, and interim positions are no replacement for a ready-from-the-jump executive-level leader who can take the heat, keep up with the pace, speak to the team and board alike, and manage critical relationships with stakeholders, clients, competitors and the media,” said Alex T., Canopy Nonprofit Expert.

Situational Experience and Proven Agility

We heard loud and clear from our experts that one of the keys to hiring the right fractional executive is to look deeper than surface-level sections on a resume. 

If you only hire for titles and recognizable company names, you could be missing out on the person best suited for your role. Instead of hiring solely for experience in the discipline, hire for the individual’s experience in the specific situation you’re in today. For example, if you’re a startup looking to take that next step in growth, you might be better served looking for an expert who is experienced in or even specializes in helping organizations and leaders in that area.

In a similar vein, be cautious in vetting experts who come across as having all the answers. Agility is one of the most important attributes of top fractional executives, according to our own experts, and if an expert isn’t adaptable, it can cause them to struggle in situations where things are changing quickly.

“The most underrated quality of a Fractional Executive Director is a sense of humility,” said Canopy Nonprofit Expert Meg G. “They can’t possibly know everything about your organization, but they should be willing to learn how things work.”

Don’t underestimate the value of bringing in an expert who is smart enough to know their limitations and flexible enough to know that projects, initiatives and strategies won’t always go as planned.

Collaborative Nature

One area where fractional and full-time executive roles are more similar than they are different? The most successful hires are often those who others enjoy working with.

This doesn’t mean that you should hire a “Yes” person or someone who sacrifices competence in other areas to build relationships. It means that, all else being equal, the fractional experts who have the required skills and experience and who also possess the ability to generate buy-in and enthusiasm will outperform their counterparts.

Because of the value of the expert getting up to speed and embedded quickly, it’s simply too important in fractional roles to hire experts who are not proficient in these areas.

“Chemistry and trust matter just as much as credentials,” said Canopy Human Resources Expert Amy P. “You’re bringing this person into rooms where power, people, and emotion collide. Look for someone who can be direct, grounded, and unflappable—but who can also build trust with both leadership and employees.”

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Thank you for reading! If you’re interested in hearing more from our experts on when and how to hire fractional executives, check out our guide, Demystifying Fractional Executive Hiring.