Succession planning

Leadership transitions go awry with alarming frequency, often the result of an emotionally charged power struggle between the CEO and his would-be heir. Four practices, however, can help successors defuse the crisis—and make it to the top.

“Did I find it frustrating as the White House Chief of Staff? Toughest job I ever had, but…if you find it unpleasant to cope with a complex problem that is simultaneously the business of four or five Cabinet departments, several public interest groups, and the Congress, and one that the President will finally decide, then […]

Ed Davidson is on top of the world, literally and figuratively, at the beginning of this fictional case study. He's in the Swiss Alps, headed for Davos...

Kasriel grew up around computers and started writing programs when he was 12. In a way, he says, he was like one of today's typical Silicon Valley kids,...

IQ and EQ aren't enough.

The seven seismic shifts of perspective and responsibility

A wounded-but-wiser AT&T veteran recounts how one of the world’s biggest and best-known companies became one of its most battered—and explains how others can avoid that fate.

It’s hard to give up the reins. But a chief executive who initiates and manages his own succession can add enormous value to the company.

Landing a job as a CEO today is no longer all about industry expertise and financial savvy. What companies are really seeking are leaders with strong...

This post is part of our in-depth look at Obama's First 90 Days in office. What a difference a few days can make to the trajectory of a transition. At...

Both have risks. Here's how to strike the right balance.

The "search fund" model is particularly well suited to our demographic moment.

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

Every morning, Paul Marsh, the chairman, president, and CEO of Kansas-based Coltrane Farm Equipment & Manufacturing, climbs the six flights of stairs...

The model is more viable than you might think.

Edward Bennett has done wonders at Astar Enterprises. In the 15 years he's been CEO, the company has more than tripled in size through product line extension...

Dan Sestak has had a charmed career path at packaged-foods giant NutriSelect. But when the CEO unexpectedly passes away just months after Dan is tapped...

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....

Most CEOs and most board members manage the CEO’s succession well. In many companies, CEOs are bound by tradition or policy to step down at a certain age, and plan accordingly. Many have enough vision and insight to overcome any momentary desire to stay on, and indeed take pleasure in training and developing the next […]

Two decades ago, extensive research led Nohria, the former dean of Harvard Business School, to conclude that the hallmark of great leadership is the ability...