Abstract
The chapter examines the transition made by a prominent political leader (Roland Koch) to become CEO of a very large publicly listed construction group in Germany. The chapter highlights the importance for an outsider of gaining the acceptance of insiders. An entry strategy for outsider leaders is discussed that entails adopting a “deep dive” into the business, as is the value of attaining alignment behind a common objective. The importance of prior experience for the outsider and the need to leverage this wisely is considered, as is the merit of maintaining a degree of internal stability in the key early stages of transition. Outsider leaders can expect to be resisted and challenged by others, which needs to be contemplated. At times these challenges can be helpful and constructive, but not when they are of a disruptive nature. The chapter ends with a conclusion and a reflection on its content.
This chapter is written by Chris O’Riordan; Patrick C. Flood; Felicity Kelliher; Malcolm Higgs
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Notes
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Translated from German using Google Translate.
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Translated from German using Google Translate.
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Translated from German using Google Translate.
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O’Riordan, C., Flood, P.C., Kelliher, F., Higgs, M. (2019). From Politics to Business: How Wide Is the Leadership Gap?. In: Outsider Leadership. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97463-7_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97463-7_3
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