Authors: Dan Ciampa & David L. Dotlich
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Reviewer: Jacks Thomas, director of The London Book Fair
Transitions at the top: What organisations must do to make sure new leaders succeed is a useful handbook for all those involved in the appointment and successful integration of new chief executives.
What is interesting is that the handbook has to exist at all (although the scary statistics of failure documented in the book more than make a case for the necessity of its publication – 40 per cent ‘fail rate’ within the first 18 months) when the advice given is rooted in those excellent basics of management training: teamwork, collaboration, leadership, accountability and emotional intelligence. At first glance, one could be forgiven for believing that those in top jobs leave those principles at the boardroom door.
But written by seasoned advisors and coaches, Dan Ciampa’s and David L. Dotlich’s new book is full of practical advice within a context of compelling examples of why CEO transitions so often fail – and they firmly come down on the side of the power of the team to ensure a successful transition.
Without the support of the outgoing CEO, the board, senior management colleagues, the HR director, and a strategic direction designed to change but not to alienate, success will be eluded. The book is well organised to explain the whys of failure and the how-tos of success with interesting case studies that may well give readers a wake-up call.
We gain insights into some of the approaches employed by big players and the changing landscape post-Enron and WorldCom – the boardroom has changed over the past few years and the rules of engagement need to in tandem.
All in all, this is a hugely useful read. After all – if those at the top need the obvious pointed out, what hope is there for those on the up? I would recommend this book as essential bedtime reading for today’s business leaders and those ambitious to be tomorrow’s alike.