Succession
How to Fire a CEO
Penny Herscher, CEO of FirstRain, blogs about several recent CEO terminations and lessons learned. (Implicit within these suggestions are ideas for what to expect and how to respond should you be on the receiving...
CEO Help Wanted
Competition from start-ups and investment firms, poor recruitment and retention have combined to leave many large cap technology companies without obvious succession plans, say experts. Boards must do more to groom ...
Key to CEO Tenure: Tenure
A new study shows boards are more forgiving and monitor less closely CEOs who have been in the job for five years or more, compared with those whose tenure is shorter. Shocking, but true--and a cautionary tale for...
Steve Jobs and Planned Obsolescence
Apple watchers are divided over the implications of Jobs' transition. Some say it's the beginning of the end; others say Jobs has trained his successors and created a culture that will carry on long after his...
CEO Succession--Voluntary and Otherwise
Harvard Law School just released a study of CEO succession over the last decade. Chock full of findings, the research points up at least one striking stat: 80% of CEO departures from 2006 to 2009 were dismissals vs....
CEO Dismissals on the Rise
CEO retirements fell, while CEO succession occurred at normal rates, according to data recently released by the Conference Board. This implies more forced resignations, though retirements are on the rise again ...
Are You a Peacetime or Wartime CEO?
This post alludes to Ben Horowitz's thoughtful recent take on Google's CEO transition. Different leadership styles are required, depending on the strategic challenges facing a company. Which type are YOU?
The Virtues of Passing the Baton
William Lauder, executive chairman of Estee Lauder, describes his decision to hand over the CEO job to an outsider and how their partnership is working, in practice, in this Wharton Leadership lecture transcript/video.
Leader Fatigue
Few CEOs voluntarily leave their posts, but more should after long tenures, as their effectiveness may decline with time, says the author of the post. Could YOU imagine a scenario when you would give up the top job when the company was performing...
Promoting From Within Wins
A 20 year study by A.T. Kearney and Indiana U's b-school finds businesses that promote their CEOs from within outperform those whose leaders are recruited from outside company ranks. In Insiders deliver better results, stay longer and get paid ...
Founder CEO: Blessing or Curse?
The author of this post suggests the pendulum is swinging back toward founder CEOs. Professionalism is no substitute for passion, and coaching can grow a first-time leader, he says. Do YOU agree?
Forecast Calls for CEO Volatiility
With the recession waning, global corporate boards are likely to be more aggressive in hiring new leaders they believe can produce out-sized growth and profit. Among the 'wish list' criteria? Youth, sales/marketing...
A CEO's LAST 100 Days
This McKinsey Quarterly take on leadership transition is worth consideration. Much has been written about a CEO's first 100 days, but long-term success can be greatly enhanced by thoughtful transition planning, as ...
Great Man Theory
Steven Rattner, Obama's auto czar, wrote in the Financial Times about the impact on companies when their esteemed leaders step aside. What do YOU uniquely bring to your firm's fortunes? (May require free...
Is Adult Supervision Overrated?
Do brilliant but inexperienced entrepreneurs (think Zuckerberg, Page/Brin) benefit from partnering with more seasoned execs, or does the conservatism hamper innovation? This blog post asks some interesting ...
Are You an Entrenched CEO?
2% of Fortune 500 CEOs are fired annually. Is this a lot or too few? New Wharton research quantifies the considerations facing boards that contemplate whether to retain or replace a flawed leader, including s...
CEO Revolving Door: Are Expectations the Problem?
Heidrick & Struggles CEO Kevin Kelly laments the cultural 'short-termism' used in evaluating newly appointed leaders, including the 'First 100 Days' mentality so often invoked. Transition advisor Michael Watkins, ...
Pinnacle or Pressure Cooker?
The recent surprise resignation of Pfizer's CEO has called into sharp focus the risk of burnout among corner office occupants. Top executives are increasingly opting for shorter tenures, as leadership and financial...
Why CEOs Succeed (and Fail)
This article, written by an early stage investor and a corporate anthropologist, study 3 scenarios where CEOs often founder: taking the helm at a smaller company, managing when the company grows larger, and stepping...
Twitter CEO: Out of Here
Twitter co-founder and CEO Evan Williams announced last week that he will pass the baton to his COO. Is he a fool or incredibly self-aware? Have YOU thought about where your talents are best deployed, and...
