Hit the ground running

Lessons from ten dramatic transformations and the new CEOs who led themOne of the toughest jobs in business is taking over as a new leader. You have to hit the ground running— diagnose the situation, pull together a strong team, decide on a strategy, and inspire everyone to execute it.Jason Jennings and his research team searched for the new CEOs who had pulled off the most impressive transformations of this decade. He interviewed ten who, on average, had doubled revenues, doubled profit margins, and more than tripled earnings per share, at companies such as Staples, Goodrich, Humana, and J. M. Smucker.The result: ten new “golden rules” that can help leaders balance the short term and the long term, and the competing needs of shareholders, employees, customers, and the community. They include:Drive stakes in the groundHave a fierce sense of urgencySimplify everythingJennings’s advice and true stories can help managers at all levels, not just CEOs.