Succession: Are You Ready? (Memo to the Ceo) [Hardcover]

Marshall Goldsmith (Author)

Book Description

Series: Memo to the CEO | Publication Date: February 10, 2009

A leader's greatest challenge can be knowing when it's time to step aside. A great deal has been written for corporate boards on the issue of succession planning. But most executives have few resources to help guide them through the process. How do you start preparing yourself--and your successor--for your inevitable leadership transition?

In this concise book, leading executive coach and bestselling author Marshall Goldsmith offers candid advice on succession from the outgoing executive's perspective. From choosing and grooming a successor while sidestepping political minefields, to finally handing over responsibility, Goldsmith walks you through each step in the succession process.

Done right, your successor can enter to applause while you gracefully bow out and start the next chapter of your life.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A 'handbook' in every sense, the latest offering from leadership authority Marshall Goldsmith is a compact field guide to letting go, gearing up, and passing the baton" --T+D Magazine

About the Author

Marshall Goldsmith has coached scores of top executives at the world's leading corporations. He has been ranked among the top ten executive educators by the Wall Street Journal and one of five most respected executive coaches by Forbes. The author of many books, including the bestselling What Got You Here Won't Get You There (Hyperion, January 2007), he is on the faculty of executive education programs at several of the world's leading business schools.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 125 pages
• Publisher: Harvard Business School Press; First Printing edition (February 10, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1422118231
• ISBN-13: 978-1422118238
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (59 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #243,644 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Marshall Goldsmith is a world authority in helping successful leaders get even better - by achieving positive, lasting change in behavior: for themselves, their people and their teams.

Every two years there is a global survey to determine the world's top 50 business thinkers. In 2009 Marshall's friend the late CK Prahalad was ranked #1 and Marshall was ranked #14. To participate in the 2011 Thinkers 50, visit http://www.thinkers50.com/vote.

MOJO was released in February 2010. It is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal top ten best-seller - and the Shanghai Daily #1 business book in China. It is already scheduled to be translated into 14 languages.

In November 2009 Dr. Goldsmith was recognized as one of the fifteen most influential business thinkers in the world in the bi-annual study sponsored by The (London) Times and Forbes. The American Management Association named Marshall as one of 50 great thinkers and leaders who have influenced the field of management over the past 80 years. He is one of only two educators who have won the Institute of Management Studies Lifetime Achievement Award. Major business press acknowledgments include: BusinessWeek - most influential practitioners in the history leadership development, Wall Street Journal - top ten executive educators, Forbes - five most-respected executive coaches, Leadership Excellence - top five thinkers on leadership, Economic Times (India) - top CEO coaches of America, Economist (UK) - most credible executive advisors in the new era of business and Fast Company - America's preeminent executive coach.

Dr. Goldsmith's Ph.D. is from UCLA. He teaches executive education at Dartmouth's Tuck School and frequently speaks at leading business schools. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Human Resources (America's top HR honor) and his work has been recognized by almost every professional organization in his field. In 2006 Alliant International University honored Marshall by naming their schools of business and organizational studies - the Marshall Goldsmith School of Management.

Marshall is one of a select few advisors who have been asked to work with over 120 major CEOs and their management teams. He served on the Board of the Peter Drucker Foundation for ten years. He has been a volunteer teacher for US Army Generals, Navy Admirals, Girl Scout executives, International and American Red Cross leaders - where he was a National Volunteer of the Year.

Marshall is the million-selling author of many books including: What Got You Here Won't Get You There - a New York Times best-seller, Wall Street Journal #1 business book, winner of the Harold Longman Award for Business Book of the Year and top ten best-seller in seven major countries; Succession: Are You Ready? - a WSJ best-seller; The Leader of the Future -a BusinessWeek best-seller, The Organization of the Future 2 - Choice Award (top academic business books) 2009; and Coaching for Leadership. Over three hundred of his articles, interviews, columns and videos are available for viewing and sharing online (for no charge) at www.MarshallGoldsmithLibrary.com. Visitors to this site have come from 195 countries and have viewed, read, listened to, downloaded or shared resources over 4.4 million times. He has regular blogs at www.HBR.org, www.BusinessWeek.com and www.HuffingtonPost.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Art of Passing the Baton, February 14, 2009

By 

Pele Ugboajah "Pele Raymond Ugboajah, PhD - L... (International Falls, MN, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Succession: Are You Ready? (Memo to the Ceo) (Hardcover)

Dr. Marshall Goldsmith is very clear that this book is less about the dry, logical, technical, or strategic issues of CEO succession and more about how to navigate the behavioral and emotional realities involved in successfully changing the guard at the top job. His central question for the CEO or top leader in any organization is: Are YOU ready?

To help you answer that question, he focuses like a laser on what may easily be the most challenging aspect of the process: the HUMAN side of leadership succession. While readily admitting that there are several books that can deal with the other technical issues, he forges ahead with powerful metaphors and stories that reveal the extreme importance of correctly handling the BEHAVIORAL challenges in leadership succession. How do you get yourself emotionally ready for moving on? How do you identify the right leaders to pass the baton to? How do you coach those leaders, and provide them with the best and most empowering tools for changing behavior? Ultimately, how do you "pass the baton?"

All these questions and more are handled in a way that reveals the unique insight Dr. Goldsmith possesses regarding the leadership challenges at the very top ... this time, not from the point of view of trying to BECOME the leader, but from the point of view of trying to replace yourself if YOU are the current, successful leader.

I love the analogy of Spock (the logical vulcan), which he uses to represent what this book is NOT about. (Dry, logical, statistical analysis). Perhaps even more, I love the analogy of PASSING THE BATON, which paints a truly powerful picture of what Succession is all about. Just as the lead runner has to carefully slow down without stopping, the second runner must also speed up and stretch out a hand to successfully receive the baton. It is this subtle dance - this carefully orchestrated coaching process - that Dr. Goldsmith uses as a central metaphor to kick off his book.

Like other previous books from Dr. Goldsmith, this is clearly a masterpiece. But beware, for this book will ask you to look deep within yourself with strong introspection if you are the CEO or Leader at the top. For succession is as much about YOUR behavior and emotions, as it is about those whom you hope to groom for the future!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An Good Introduction to Succession as a Topic, November 2, 2009

By 

Jody (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Succession: Are You Ready? (Memo to the Ceo) (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

Preparing for a successor can be a difficult step in an executive career, Succession: Are You Ready? (Memo to the CEO) addresses many thought provoking concepts when preparing your replacement.

Although the book provides a good concise summary of concepts and emotions you may experience while preparing for succession, if you are looking for a detailed plan this is not the right book for you.

Goldsmith does do an excellent job in providing a direction for those executives that are entertaining the idea of succession and may even be discussing it with a board. Primarily focused on large corporate environments and fortune 500 companies, the advise may still be good for entrepreneurs and other business people that may be emotionally attached to their jobs.

A good book for a quick flight.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Helpful for anyone retiring and not just CEO's..., August 16, 2009

By 

Judy Smith "judylynnsbooks" (jamestown, ky United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Succession: Are You Ready? (Memo to the Ceo) (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

The author tells CEO's how to retire with grace and dignity in this book (versus going out kicking and screaming, I guess). He gives a lot of suggestions on how they can do it and leave someone in charge that the CEO has trained himself. This will reflect on you if you do it. It's to your benefit to leave a good impression as well as leaving someone in charge that has been well trained. It shows what a good sport you are as well as how professional you are (and if you have stock in the company, it is an even better idea!)

When a CEO retires they have a hard time rejoining the human race and will find it impossible to just sit around and watch tv or play golf. The author suggests possible alternatives like getting in a group of other ceo's and discussing what else is possible. He tells of how some get other jobs, some donate their time running non-profit organizations, etc. They just have to find something they really like and head in that direction.

He gives a lot of good ideas and I thought the book would be good for anyone that retires from a high powered job and not just ceo's. The author writes with a sense of humor so it's certainly not dull.