In this episode of the Leadership Quotient Podcast, Max Salazar, Senior Vice President & Head of Executive Assessment at AlixPartners, shares how rigorous leadership assessment and cultural due diligence can transform talent from a risk factor into a value lever in private equity. Drawing on his background as a business psychologist and consultant to middle-market investors, Max explains why “quick, cheap, low-touch” approaches to leadership evaluation fail, how defensiveness and lack of agility derail even seasoned executives, and why human judgment must remain at the center of assessment despite advances in AI. He also breaks down how connecting culture and leadership to financial outcomes shortens hold periods, preserves value, and builds stronger management teams across the investment lifecycle.