Eric S. Raymond Quotes

I am determined to hold on as long as possible, but if I should disappear, I should not have had the time to familiarize my successors with the necessary information.

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.

Why do I need succession planning? I'm very alert, I'm very vibrant. I have no intention to retire.

If you're interested in the job and in the kind of work that's done, you have to have an interest in who's going to fill your shoes.

I don't believe in the coach-in-waiting thing. I don't think that works.

What I'm interested in doing after I get out of the presidency is to make sure that I'm working with that next generation so that they understand you can't just rely on inspiration.

That was pretty smooth, because you don't want something to go wrong when you have a whole senior level of actings. That's not a position you want to be in. It's OK to replace your team, but usually you want them to be in place until the new people are confirmed.

You never replace a great scholar who retires. If you try to do that, you end up with burnt-out volcanoes.

The worst mistake a leader can make is to mentor no one, choose no successor and leave no legacy.

They always say you don't want to follow a legend. A few have been able to do that. I think Bill Cowher followed Chuck Noll pretty well with the Pittsburgh Steelers. But it's hard to do at a lot of places.

Dynastic rule is when you are groomed to succeed. My father never groomed me to take over.

A founder can carry an institution only so far, and then others have to step in, even the alumni. That's how an institution becomes one.

You'd like to transition with continuity, have people in your own organization rise up and continue forward, whether in coaching or personnel or players.

When someone gives 60 days' notice, they're able to play an active role in identifying and training their replacement.

A team needs experienced cricketers to guide its younger players.

When a highly successful leader retires after a long career, it is very unlikely that his successor will be of comparable caliber. Anyone of similar ability and drive would have gone somewhere else, instead of waiting in the wings for years for a chance to show his own leadership.

As Vice President one of the things I spend time on is the continuity of government; that's the main reason I'm here is a back up for the President if anything happens to him.

What being among the 'right people' entails is the possession of human capital, rather than organizational capital: an individual reputation, portable skills, and network connections. Career responsibility is squarely in the hands of individuals, a function of their knowledge and networks. Transferable knowledge is more important to a career than firm-specific knowledge.

I think the fact that father is running now as opposed to in 2012 where he didn't that he's had enough faith in myself and my siblings to be able to run the company.We've got tens of thousands of people that are under his direct employ. Those people, he wouldn't leave a company and leave those people and their lives and everything they've put into it at risk if he didn't think there was competent leadership to take over after him.

Find somebody else to run your business on a day-to-day basis.

We're all human. After 10, 15 years you get tired, you run out of steam and ideas, you have to give a chance to somebody else. And whether you yourself are inclined to stay on, all those around you are pushing you to stay on for what they will gain.

I know my limitations. I live and work according to my limitations. And my party only two weeks ago has clearly declared that the leader of the party after Ms Sonia Gandhi will be Mr Rahul Gandhi. And all of us, including me, have expressed our solid support to Mr Rahul Gandhi.

I have been asked whether I wish to nominate a successor, an inheritor, a dauphin or delfino. I have decided to name Christopher Hitchens.

Avoid studies of which the result dies with the worker.

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.