Becker Business Podcast: “Evaluating Talent and Building Strong Teams”

Guest: David Pivnick, Partner at McGuireWoods LLP
Host: Scott Becker
Date: December 12, 2025
Episode Focus: Strategies for evaluating talent, building strong teams, and effective talent management in professional services.

Episode Overview

This episode delves deep into the art and science of talent evaluation and team building. Scott Becker interviews David Pivnick, a seasoned litigation partner at McGuireWoods LLP, who shares his nuanced approach to hiring, mentoring, and managing in the legal field. David discusses the balance between intellect, work ethic, leadership, and cultural fit, recounts lessons from his own driven career, and provides honest perspectives on coaching, performance management, and adapting expectations when managing others.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Evaluating Talent Beyond Academics

[01:29 – 05:27]

• High Academic Bars Are Just the Start
  David notes that at elite firms, candidates have already cleared high intellectual and academic hurdles. The interview process, therefore, is less about confirming intellect and more about unearthing differentiating traits.

  "I almost take it as a given that the people we're interviewing sort of have the intellectual horsepower to succeed... So I'm looking for other things on a resume or in the conversation over the course of an interview that I think is going to lead to success..."
  — David Pivnick [01:59]

• Work Ethic as a Hallmark
  David highlights actual work experience—whether holding jobs during school, athletic commitment, or entrepreneurial ventures—as strong indicators of grit.

  "I've met with people who have never held a job prior to law school, and I mean no jobs. And I find that very surprisingly troubling."
  — David Pivnick [02:38]

• Leadership and Meaningful Involvement
  True leadership is distinguished by depth of responsibility, not just participation.

  "There's a meaningful difference between saying I'm a member of 10 organizations versus I was the president of this entity and I led X, Y and Z drive, or I spearheaded this initiative..."
  — David Pivnick [03:30]

• Consistency Over Flashy Peaks
  Sustained achievement is a key predictor of long-term success versus intermittent brilliance.

  "Showing a history of success consistently over the years before coming in for an interview, I think is a helpful indicator of future success as well."
  — David Pivnick [04:41]

2. Team Dynamics vs. Individual Talent

[05:27 – 09:05]

• Balancing Talent with Teamwork
  The dilemma of high performers who may struggle in collaborative settings is a recurring theme. David contends that while brilliance is non-negotiable at the partner level, collaborative skills can be cultivated or, when necessary, workarounds can be found.

  "If they're truly detrimental to the team... coaching is a necessary next step. But that may not work long term."
  — David Pivnick [06:39]

• Role Customization & Career Pathing
  Not every high performer is destined for leadership. Adjusting career trajectories or responsibilities is important for retention and maximizing value.

  "...figuring out how to reposition them career path wise is very important to keeping otherwise valuable team members."
  — David Pivnick [07:35]

3. Performance Management and Coaching Decisions

[09:05 – 11:11]

• Diagnosis Before Decision
  Separate performance issues (skill vs. interpersonal). The approach varies considerably.

  "Figure out what the nature of the failing is. If it's the work is good, but the interpersonal skills need a bit of work... Let's sit down, let's talk about it..."
  — David Pivnick [09:30]

• Coaching Over Termination Where Possible
  Coaching and collaboration are (almost always) the first steps; only in persistently uncorrectable cases is severing the relationship considered.

  "In most instances, you're able to work through with someone talented and figure out how to help coach them up so that their weaknesses become strengths or at least become neutral..."
  — David Pivnick [10:46]

4. Managing as a High Performer: Self-Awareness and Adaptability

[11:11 – 15:01]

• Perfectionism and Management
  Scott probes whether David’s own high-achieving, all-in mentality leads to unrealistic expectations for others.

  "Does that ever make it hard for you to manage others, because you're such a perfectionist and so great at what you do yourself?"
  — Scott Becker [11:57]

• Individualizing Expectations
  David underscores respecting different work styles; he avoids imposing his own standards and acknowledges that team members may thrive differently.

  "It's not fair for me to expect everybody to do things the exact same way or to have the exact same approach. And I came to that realization a long time ago..."
  — David Pivnick [12:25]

• Example: Vacation Boundaries
  David admits he works through vacations, but he doesn't expect the same of others.

  "I work on basically every vacation...I've talked to other colleagues...who don't want to work on vacation and are pretty clear they want to draw a bright line. And I don't think there's anything wrong with that."
  — David Pivnick [13:30]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Filtering for Excellence Beyond the Resume:

  "We're meeting with people who are generally very smart. So I'm looking for other things... things that are going to lead to success that's going to be indicative of a higher probability of success than just the academics."
  — David Pivnick [02:12]

• On Difficult Team Members:

  "If the answer is, yeah, the strengths are worth it, we want to figure it out, then it's approaching and figuring out how to position that person in a way where leadership roles aren't necessarily part of what they're tasked with..."
  — David Pivnick [08:11]

• On Leadership Flexibility:

  "I'm going to do things in the way that I think is productive, likely to be successful and effective, but it doesn't mean that my approach is the right approach for everybody else."
  — David Pivnick [14:00]

Key Timestamps

• 01:29 – David introduces how he screens for work ethic and leadership beyond academics.
• 05:27 – Discussion on managing high performers with collaboration issues.
• 09:05 – Handling underperformance: distinguishing coachable flaws from fatal mismatches.
• 11:11 – David reflects on managing as a perfectionist and how he adapts expectations.
• 13:30 – Example on respecting differing boundaries, particularly around work and vacation.

Tone & Style

David’s perspective is candid and practical—rooted in experience, but marked by humility and a focus on teaching and supporting others. The conversation is thoughtful, encouraging, and laced with respect for individual differences, making it highly relevant for managers across industries.

Summary prepared for listeners seeking deep takeaways on talent strategy, team building, and leadership self-awareness.