CEO Succession

Learning From Failure

September 1,2008
Sydney Finkelstein is the coroner of the business world: He examines the wreckage of dead or dying companies to find out what happened. The professor at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth is less interested in what executives do right, than in what they do wrong. Full Story

Need to Know: September 2008

September 1,2008
Delaware Supreme Court rules in boards’ favor in AFSCME v. CA Inc.; short sellers on a shorter leash; Apple unbitten; activists win CSX battle; support wanes for say on pay; more. Full Story

Succeeding at Succession

September 1,2008
One of the greatest responsibilities shared by boards—indeed, some argue it is the single most important job of the corporate director—is to manage CEO succession. Full Story

Postings: April / May 2008

April 1,2008
Recent board appointments: Zelnick, Breeden, Sheehan, more. Full Story

The Leader Within

April 1,2008 by Joseph L. Bower
One constant associated with companies that can sustain high performance is that they manage succession well. And more often than not, these long-term high performers pick insiders to succeed incumbents. Full Story

CEO Succession: From Firefighting to Stewardship

December 1,2007 by Keith Meyer
Despite the critical importance of CEO succession, many boards find themselves unprepared when the inevitable actually comes to pass. As a result, what should be an orderly, well-planned transition often turns into a firefighting exercise more akin to crisis management than farsighted stewardship. Full Story

O'Neal's Exit Package Stirs Reaction: Senate May Revisit Say on Pay

December 1,2007
The retirement of former Merrill Lynch Chairman and CEO Stanley O’Neal added some fuel to the fiery debate over CEO compensation, and the public’s perception of the disconnection between pay and performance. Full Story

Succession Planning: And the Next CEO is...

October 1,2007
The average tenure of a CEO is now less than five years. Given the potential volatility created by a sudden or ill-conceived change at the top, board members consistently rate succession planning as one of their most important responsibilities. Full Story

The Six Attributes of Leading CEOs

October 1,2007 by Justin Menkes
I recently worked with a company whose CEO had led it on a tremendous run of prosperity. Under his leadership, the company had gone from virtual bankruptcy to being number one or two in nearly all of its markets. Full Story

Hit by a Bus

September 1,2007 by Beverly A. Behan
A guide to emergency CEO succession planning Full Story

The Next Generation

September 1,2007 by Eugene H. Fram and William J. Stevenson
With CEOs accepting fewer directorship slots, who's filling their shoes? Full Story

Fired With Enthusiasm

April 1,2007 by Jeffrey Sonnenfeld
Boards should know that CEO setbacks can prove to be positive. Full Story

Why Doesn't CEO Succession Work?

December 1,2006 by Directorship Editors
It may be the board's toughest job. Full Story

CEO Term Limits: An Idea Whose Time Has Come

November 1,2006 by Steve Mader
Determining just how long a CEO should remain in the job helps create the right management culture. Full Story

Spy vs. Spy

October 1,2006 by Directorship Editors
How Patricia Dunn set off a firestorm that may permanently transform Hewlett-Packard's board. Full Story

Surviving a CEO Transition

October 1,2006 by Marjan Bolmeijer
A pop quiz for directors, from firing the chief to breaking in a new one. Full Story

Who Will Sit on Tomorrow's Boards?

October 1,2006 by Directorship Editors
Do boards face a dangerous shortage of qualified future members? Full Story

A New Leadership for a Newly Converged World

July 1,2006 by Directorship Editors
Career experts discuss the traits and skill sets that will be needed. Full Story

The Board's Strategy for CEO Selection

July 1,2006 by Directorship Editors
Best practices in selecting a technology company CEO Full Story