The belief that one of the most important resources of an organization is its people; more specifically, its management talent.

The belief that business in the future will be more complex than it is today and thus will require ongoing development and upgrading of management talent to keep pace, let alone to lead.

The belief that detached, objective sources of data regarding the selection, promotion, and development of people is a necessity for leaders to make informed decisions.

The realization that investing in management selection and development is quite inexpensive when compared with the costs of selecting those not well matched to their position, training them, allowing them to make decisions on a daily basis, and then, ultimately turning over.

The understanding that, in an increasingly technical and specialized society, many managers of the future are likely to be technically proficient but lacking exposure to general management thinking or training.

A deep appreciation for the importance of a carefully developed plan and the establishment of intermediate checkpoints for regularly measuring progress against articulated objectives.