Leadership Transitions: The Watkins Collection (4 Items)

84 THE FIRST 90 DAYS

that often means giving credit to the group rather than taking it your-

self. As for rewarding sustaining success, people seldom call their local

power company to say, “Thanks for keeping the lights on today.”

But if the power goes off, the screaming is immediate and loud.

There is a paradox inherent in rewarding people lavishly for

successfully turning around failing businesses (or starting excit-

ing new ventures). Few high-potential leaders show much interest

in realignments, preferring the action and recognition associated

with turnarounds (and start-ups). So who exactly is responsible

for preventing businesses from becoming ...