On Becoming the Boss

07/30/2004

"Anybody can win unless there happens to be a second entry." - George Ade

On Becoming the Boss

I was cleaning off my desk when I came across an old (October 3, 1988) Wall Street Journal article, "What to Do When You Suddenly Become the Chief," by Greg Bustin. I re-read it and found that Bustin had some ideas that are still relevant:

"When faced with a major management change, your first instinct will be to proceed with business as usual, in the hope that your past record will ensure your future success. It's a logical line of reasoning, but it just doesn't work. A change at the top necessarily reshapes your corporate culture. Whether you articulate them or not, your clients and your employees have questions, and you must address them candidly.

"The get-acquainted meetings [I held] with clients were more than perfunctory hand-holding. They signified a genuine interest in their companies and our unflagging desire for their business. More important than these meetings, however, was the level of service we brought to each account. We went beyond the status quo, stepping up the level of service to every account to prove that changing quarterbacks doesn't hinder a winning effort.

"Similarly, the raises and promotions [I offered shortly after taking over] proved that things were different now. Every policy was called in question, every system, every standard operating procedure. It was open season on 'business as usual.'
"The result has been a stimulating exchange of ideas that has significantly improved the way we do business...I daresay that opening the windows to change has revitalized our staff and built our company.

"Redefining the status quo is probably the most exhilarating challenge you'll face when you climb to the top post of the company. For better or worse, the company will be remade in your image."

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