Why CEOs need HR to focus on cognitive potential and fit for employees and new hires

NOTE: Part 1 of 2: The following is an excerpt from Thomas International's white paper on Cognitive Fit. It can be found here: http://campaigns.thomasus.com/cognitive/ Employees with strong cognitive ability are a competitive advantage to an organization-- particularly when they are in roles that require quick learning, first-time problem solving, thinking "on your feet" and dealing with ambiguity. People who score well on cognitive ability tests are more likely to develop a greater knowledge of the job more quickly, make effective decisions and successfully reason and strategize to solve problems. In fact, a landmark study from 1998 reviewed 85 years of research and found that higher cognitive ability is linked with higher productivity and performance.