A succession planning miracle?
Jena McGregor, writing in the Washington Post, says that the succession to a new CEO at Ford could be Alan Mulally’s “single biggest accomplishment.” Alisa Priddle’s article on the succession in the Detroit Free Press is titled: “From Mr. Miracle Mulally to polished protégé Fields: Ford’s changing of the guard.” Here’s her opening paragraph.
“Two men with different backgrounds and personalities are preparing for an uncharacteristically smooth transition of power at Ford, carefully crafted to be drama-free so the automaker can continue its positive momentum.”
But wait, there’s more.
Sounds great, huh? But before you release the pigeons, cue the angel choirs, and break out the bubbly, take a minute to read Tom Walsh’s article. He’s looking at Ford’s succession through a very different lens. He offers this food for thought.
“Far more important — and intriguing to watch — than Mulally’s farewell bows will be the team chemistry of Ford’s other top leaders once he’s gone.”
Succession plans don’t always work
That sentence points to one important reality about big company succession planning. Succession plans always look good on paper, but they don’t always work out, and the reasons are often tied up in the candidates for the top job who didn’t get it.
Will they stay or will they leave for greener pastures in the form of a CEO job at another company? If they stay, will they be a good team player, or a source of intrigue and dissension?
Has Ford really changed?
These are always important questions, but they take on special meaning at Ford. This is a company that’s been known for sharp-elbowed infighting and a culture of palace intrigue. We don’t know if Alan Mulally has really changed that. We’ll see.
