Transitions at the Top

Preface xiii Acknowledgements xix Introduction 1 The Transition Challenge 3 The Roots of Failure 7 Complexity 7 Thinking Errors 8 Execution Errors 9 Roles for Success 11 The Board's Role 11 The CEO's Role 13 The CHRO's Role 15 The Senior Managers' Role 17 1 Complexity and Critical Crossroads 21 Complexity 25 Individual Adjustments 25 CEO 25 Board 27 CHRO 29 Senior Managers 32 Systemic Adjustments 34 Strategic 34 Operational 36 Political 39 Cultural 41 Summary 45 2 Three Destructive Myths 47 Myths Plaguing Transitions at the Top 56 Myth 1: People Join Companies All the Time...It's No Big Deal 58 Myth 2: Our Job Is Done When the One We Want Says "Yes" 62 Myth 3:We Know What He Can Do 65 How Transition Myths Bar Productive Thinking 71 Lack of Empathy 71 Lack of Learning 73 Lack of Questioning 74 Leaving Tough Questions Unanswered 76 Summary 79 3 Errors of Execution 81 Relationship between Incumbent and Successor 85 Preparing for Only One Transition 90 The Leader Who Departs 90 Derivative Defections 93 Mismanaging the Transition Process 96 Not Organizing and Interpreting the Right Information 96 How Things Really Get Done 97 Culture and Power Structure 98 Power and Influence 104 Not Preparing Major Players for the Right Roles 106 Mishandling the Onboarding of the New Leader 109 Summary 114 4 The Board's Role 117 Directors as Major Players 121 Oversight for the Transition 127 Managing Relationships 134 Judging Performance 143 Expectations 146 Cultural and Political Attention 148 Summary 150 5 The CEO's Role 153 Controlling the Steps and Pace 157 Role 158 The Search and the Transition 162 Ensuring Other Players Do What They Must 166 Self-Management and Self-Awareness 171 Summary 177 6 The CHRO's Role 179 Great Senior Staffing Support 185 Help for the New Leader 192 What the New Leader Must Do 192 Learning 193 Visioning 194 Coalition Building 196 Methods and Mechanisms for Relationships 198 Connecting 201 Listening 203 Summary 210 7 The Senior Manager's Role 215 Shaping Organization Opinion 220 Delivering Support 227 Building Winning Relationships 234 Summary 241 8 Summary 245 Index 253