The Final Act of Leadership: What Leaders Get Wrong About Succession

How do we know if someone was a great leader?  One key is to take a hard look at their final act of leadership before they let go of the reins.  Too many would-be leaders see succession in a distorted light that invalidates any good work they may have done.  If we want to be seen as “one of the good ones” here’s how to get the focus right.

Notes and Resources:

• Prefer to read?  Here’s the full post:  The Final Act of Leadership: What Leaders Get Wrong About Succession
• Read more thoughts about Jim Collin’s book Good to Great here, or check it out on Amazon.
• Collins found that three fourths of CEOs deliberately set their successors up for failure so that they themselves would look good.
• Here’s the original video of the dropped baton; see the last 20 seconds for the slow-motion close-up.
   

Quotable: 

“Leaders who truly care about their organization and the people within it do not set them up to fail the moment they walk away.”  - Ken Downer

“If an organization soon stumbles after the leader departs, that’s not a testament to his leadership ability, it’s an indictment of it.”  - Ken Downer

“If we would be seen as great leaders, if we want our team to win, our final act of leadership is clear:  don’t drop the baton.”  - Ken Downer

"Great leaders prepare the organization to thrive even when they are no longer leading it."       - Ken Downer

Related posts: 

Who’s Your Second? Are We Really Leading, or Just in Charge?

Delegation, Part 2: What to Delegate?  Tips on how to develop your teammates through intelligent delegation.

What is Your Leadership Legacy?

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