CEO Transition: Overcoming Common Pitfalls

While all boards take the task of selecting the next CEO seriously, most are unprepared for it. Why aren’t boards more proactive in taking on...

July 30, 2025

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CEO Transition: Overcoming Common Pitfalls

By Andrew Chastain and Susan Snyder

While all boards take the task of selecting their next CEO seriously, most do not fully support the executive’s transition and early success. Why aren’t boards more proactive and purposeful in CEO transition? It requires forethought and a commitment of time and resources.

In this article, first published by The Governance Institute, WittKieffer CEO Andrew Chastain and Executive Partner Susan Snyder explore the common pitfalls healthcare boards face in planning for CEO transition – unclear roles, difficult emotions, and underestimating the challenges of the first year – and provide tips for addressing them.

This article is reprinted with permission from The Governance Institute, Lincoln, Nebraska.

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CEO Transition: Overcoming Common Pitfalls

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