Daniel Fried Quotes

I think there's few cases in history where the C.E.O. steps down and is also the founder and reports to someone and that works.

Change in leadership does not only come in a pin stripe suit with a bald spot on its head.

The industry has to learn how to do CEO succession well. If your definition of success is Intel or Microsoft or HP or IBM, that's not a good track record, and yet they are the most successful ones.

The number of CEOs voluntarily leaving their jobs or being forced out spiked early. Many of those companies will be turning to an interim CEO to take the reins. These temporary leaders are increasingly in demand, according to those who watch corner office trends.

Unlike people, companies outlive their founders and their leaders.

I think that there is never an indispensable leader, you know? I think that there is a time with dignity that one needs to leave.

We've got a low turnover management group and executive group who've grown up in the business.

Fidelity does have a succession plan in place to ensure a smooth transition.

It's a very difficult business, and I'm very interested in the future of it after I'm gone, and I thought that if I can't produce a strong management team here myself, and I can find better management elsewhere, then I should sell it.

Other men have created FTSE 100 companies. But I believe no man has done this in his lifetime without acquisition or borrowing. My one regret is handing over the reigns.

CEOs resign when the internal dynamics of the company and the external dynamics of the company actually come together to say it is appropriate. When the internal dynamics ask you whether you have a replacement. I think the transition from CEOships have also become cartoonish.

So if I die, somebody else from the corporation will take over the business.

After four years as Administrator of the SBA, I have let President Obama know that I will not be staying for a second term. I will stay on until my successor is confirmed to ensure a smooth and seamless transition.

Michael Eisner let it be known last week that he had no intention of leaving the entertainment business once he steps down as CEO of Disney in October.

At IBM, if we kept our same leadership for 36 years, we'd be bankrupt.

One of the things we often miss in succession planning is that it should be gradual and thoughtful, with lots of sharing of information and knowledge and perspective, so that it's almost a non-event when it happens.

My feeling is unless they've somebody lined up and they are convinced he is going to be better than Brian, I think their decision has been made in haste.

Essentially, you have to be aware of a crisis happening: 'Can the company go on if I get hit by a bus?' That's, I think, how you build a great company and something that can scale.

I am tired, I would like to rest, it’s time for the country to be ruled by younger leaders.

I do not think I will die, but whether I do or not, the company will pursue the same policies.

As a company grows from 25 to 50 to 100 to 200 to 500 to 1000 people, the characteristics of who is the very best talent in leadership roles will change. It's rarely the case that your leadership team at 1000 people is the same leadership team you had a 25 people.

I hope that soon after the next election, amongst them they will have decided, settled, and the leader will be ready to take over from me.

I would like to see whether my supposed successors can really operate the government without causing a crisis.

CEOs can stay too long.

Deciding whether or not to bring in an outside CEO is one of the most gut-wrenching decisions that a founder will ever need to make.