| McKinsey Classics | February 2021 |
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| CEO transitions have made headlines lately, and many of these high-profile handoffs will happen in a matter of mere months. But even before these announcements, the issue of succession had already moved to the front burner for many C-suites and boards of directors because of the COVID-19 pandemic. As these leaders ponder what’s next, the focus understandably turns to how new CEOs will shape their organizations after they take the top spot.
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| A great deal has been written about a new CEO’s first 100 days in the job, but much less about the departing CEO’s last 100. Chief executives who want to help their successors flourish would do well to focus on this crucial period. While there is no one-size-fits-all way to go about this, a few straightforward questions—for example, “What do I wish I had understood better when I started in the job?”—can help these leaders focus on a short list of critical actions to ease the transition.
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| For more on how outgoing CEOs can better prepare the way for their successors, read “Making the most of the CEO’s last 100 days.”—
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| — Drew Holzfeind, editor, Chicago |
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| Did You Miss Our Previous McKinsey Classics? |
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| To learn how companies can shift toward “leading the possible”—expanding their range of choices, conducting low-risk experiments, and, potentially, realizing outsized benefits or avoiding outsized calamities—read “Delighting in the possible.”
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