Leadership transitions

Companies underestimate the importance of culture fit.

Innovation is now the be-all and end-all in every industry.

Hire people who seek inspiration from what's coming next.

The IdeaXerox named Ursula Burns its CEO in 2009, marking the end of a nearly drama-free succession process. That was no accident: The outgoing CEO had spent nearly a decade orchestrating a smooth transition.

While middle managers tend to align with the C-Suite, upper managers are often more resistant.

I was walking down 48th Street in midtown Manhattan, when a man, well-dressed in a nice suit and shined shoes, with coiffed hair, and a leather briefcase, brushed by me. Then I saw him turn his head and spit out his gum. I kept my eye on the wad of gum to be sure I […]

A conversation with editor in chief Adi Ignatius.

I was walking down 48th Street in midtown Manhattan, when a man, well-dressed in a nice suit and shined shoes, with coiffed hair, and a leather briefcase, brushed by me. Then I saw him turn his head and spit out his gum. I kept my eye on the wad of gum to be sure I […]

Most organizations aren’t prepared.

63% of private companies don't have a contingency plan in place.

In business, one must always look at possible upsides. Even with all the dire predictions about what could happen in North Korea after the sudden death of its “Dear Leader” Kim Jong Il, this event could possibly pave the way for South Korean and foreign companies to make new inroads into the reclusive country. The […]

A female executive considers whether a staff job is a dead end or the next step to becoming CEO. This fictional case study by Anne Donnellon, Joshua D....

Bringing on seasoned leaders in “fractional” roles can help companies gain expertise without the expense and commitment of a full-time hire.

Sometimes a CEO’s most challenging leadership transition is not a matter of switching jobs but of guiding the company onto a new path. Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, a former McKinsey consultant who came to the family-owned Lego Group as an outsider in 2001 and was named CEO in 2004, learned that a series of distinct leadership […]

What advice do you have for CEOs and founders about “letting go” of leadership? When your successor is ready to assume the role of leadership, you need to be ready to do something that can be extremely difficult – you need to leave. You may be tempted by board members to stay on the board […]

Congratulations to Thomas P Cambell, who was this week named as the new director of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. Described as 'the outsider-insider'...

What to do when a new leader gets off to a controversial or rocky start.

On average, their value-add tends to decline after an IPO.

As we visit Julia Martinez for the final time, thanks once again for the wonderful responses to the Julia Martinez scenario on making the shift from peer to boss. First we went over the challenges Julia faces. Then we concentrated on what Julia should do on her first day after the announcement of her promotion. […]

How to give an new executive the best possible start