Avoiding Leadership Transition Failure At Amazon
One of my go-to books on leadership is The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter, by Michael D. Watkins. I regularly give it to folks who are transitioning into a new role.
If I had his address and thought he’d read it, I’d send a copy to Andy Jassy who is slated to take over the CEO role from Jeff Bezos at Amazon later this year. It would help him understand the unique challenges of the leadership transition before him.
Watkins explains that new leaders generally contend with one of four types of business situations: start-ups, turnarounds, realignments, and sustaining success. Amazon falls into the fourth category, sustaining success — and what is required for an effective succession in this type of situation is not only less definitive, it may not be a fit with Jassy.
My latest article on Forbes explains the unusual situation at Amazon and what Jassy and Bezos should do to avoid leadership transition failure. I hope it’s helpful if you are seeking a successful leadership transition.
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