- The role of a company’s promoter is starting to include helping in drawing up leadership succession plans and generally evaluating the talent of a CEO
- One cannot generalist [about Indian companies] of course. But it is slowly happening…promoters are making changes at the top level. The average tenure of a CEO now is just 4.6 years, with a great proportion below three years…
…says the management guru, leadership coach.
Often business leaders miss out the need to strike a balance between ‘cutting & sharpening the saw’. For succession planning & leadership coaching (not mentoring!) is one of the key roles of a business leader.
In Indian context, we find there are many CEOs of companies, both well-managed & not-so-well-managed companies, holding on to the chair! Every such position should have a maximum tenor to enable new leaders, with fresh perspective to take over. The successor may not be able to fill in the boots of some of their erstwhile predecessors. But the system has to find ways to handle suitability, rather than allowing leaders to hand-on.
Of course, everyone in the corporate, irrespective of the level, should consider himself to be at a leadership level. As such applicable to everyone. Just as we clamour for retirement of our senior cricketers, however great they were…
Is corporate India ready? Are you ready to let go?
