The CEO Within: Why Inside Outsiders Are the Key to Succession Planning

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With rising CEO turnover, companies are increasingly looking outside for qualified candidates. Sure, externally recruited CEOs bring fresh perspectives and connections. But they lack the in-depth knowledge of the company s culture and history that they need to succeed. Result? Many deliver disappointing performances.

Companies can avoid this scenario, contends Joseph Bower in The CEO Within. Drawing on a decade s research (including interviews with leading CEOs) and experience managing the succession process, Bower explains how companies can develop a cohort of internal candidates one of whom may be suited to the increasingly demanding CEO role. The key? Groom inside-outsiders. These leaders view their role through the lens of someone who just bought the company unencumbered by the cognitive and emotional baggage that comes from a long tenure in the organization. But they also leverage the knowledge they ve accumulated about the company s people, suppliers and customers, and future direction.

Placed squarely at the intersection of succession planning and leadership development, this book describes the distinguishing attributes of the inside-outsider and reveals how to recruit, nurture, and promote this special type of leader. With a healthy supply of qualified internal candidates, companies get the leadership they need when they need it.