When Ken Deaver, CEO of Fairway Electric, promoted me to vice president of the nuclear division, I was on top of the world. Now, just a month later, it feels like the world’s on top of me. I’m used to having a team to share the problems, but now I’m on my own. At least Ken’s door has always been open to me. He’s been my mentor since I began at Fairway eight years ago, and he’s really responsible for my success here. I owe him a lot. But when I think back over the last few weeks, I have to wonder whether I should have listened to him on this one.
A version of this article appeared in the January 1988 issue of Harvard Business Review.