An homage to a great man who passed away in May 2011, Wallace McCain, a magnate of industry.  He navigated his great company through turbulence, and even an intrafamily dispute.  Succession was important to him and he was prescient such that he established a “family office” to allow all family members better access not only to the company but also the services that the company could provide to the family. Will Rupert Murdoch’s empire transition as did the McCain family’s wealth? An article considers it here: Rupert Murdoch’s next move.

Those who rise to power, especially in large organizations, do so because they possess what’s known as, the “je ne sais crois“.  Most are born leaders with unlimited high energy, charisma and an innate psychological requirement to win, control and dominate. Although it would be easy for some, both inside and outside a business, to cast aspersions on such a profile, the fact is, these attributes are integral to power and for most of us, what we want to admire in our leaders.

Because of their innate leadership characteristics, those predisposed to leadership and control, find discomfort in succession planning.  Thus, any plan for succession, is a blueprint for the inevitable reduction and then loss of power, control or prestige that a leader has worked to achieve. After all, in the mind of a business leader: They will be there forever…and/or … They will choose when and if they leave.

No leader is perfect. They all make mistakes. For them, the last thing they need is the added pressure of a motivated successor challenging from the floor or in the wings with a plan for a transition to power.  CEOs are not protected from the ambitions of the up and comers.

The result of all this conflict? The succession plan is not developed nor started.

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