Recommended Reading - CEOs and the Pay-for-Performance Puzzle, Business Week

Ben Steverman wrote a terrific piece in Business Week that examined the issues surrounding CEO compensation and what it means with regard to the quality and proficiency of CEOs. If you are interested in compensation issues or more importantly in CEOs and their impact on companies, it’s a must read.

Recommended Reading - Advice for Outgoing CEOs, Business Week

Marshall Goldsmith, the well-known business author, has an insightful piece in Business Week entitled, Advice for Outgoing CEOs, How can you avoid being a lame duck? You can’t, so make the most of it.  The article focuses on one of the most important keys to executive transitions that have so often tripped up outgoing CEOs and their respective companies. According to Goldsmith,

Leaders who are getting ready to slow down and pass the baton often have a common fear: that they will become lame ducks if they announce their successors in advance. No one wants that to happen. 

Almost every leader goes through this inner dialogue as part of the challenge of “slowing down.” This fear, which often results in postponing the announcement about succession until the last minute, inhibits what could have been a much smoother transition.

Face it: When you are nearing the time to exit, you will become a lame duck! That is O.K. Eyes will immediately turn to your successor as his or her vision for the company will mean more than yours…

 Goldsmith’s advice is so on point.  If more top executives would just follow his simple advice more firms would find themselves able to handle CEO transitions far more effectively.  Key changes in corporate leadership would in most circumstances be far more effective and less problematic for companies and the executives taking charge.

CEO Pay - A Surprising Argument in Favor

Former Secretary of Labor in the Clinton Administration, Robert Reich, recently provided surprising commentary in a September 14 piece in the Wall Street Journal. Reich who was usually perceived as far to the left of his boss, Bill Clinton, recently wrote a piece entitled CEOs Deserve Their Pay. Worth a look, I prefer to defer comment on the issue.

For more see:

Economist's View Blog
Business Week Management IQ Blog
ReputationXchange Blog

Surviving a CEO Change - Not Always Easy

In the May 17 edition of Business Week's Management IQ blog, Jena McGregor did a piece on the Harvard Business Review's lead article in the May edition entitled, "Surviving Your New CEO". McGregor states the authors speak to the individual, telling you how to make the cut after the new guy arrives. She even provides an outline of the tips provided in the piece.

Management change continues to remain a key factor to investors and employees.

Take a look at the tips.