Organizational Behavior, 12th Edition

Xerox: A Dynamic Duo

The news came as a surprise: In 1999, Xerox announced that Anne Mulcahy, a relative newcomer, had been selected as the new CEO. Dubbed the “accidental CEO” because she never aspired to the job, one of the first things she did was to recruit the best talent she could find. And one of those key players turned out to be Ursula Burns.^a

Burns did not come to power through a traditional path. She was raised in a housing project on Manhattan's Lower East Side. Her hard-working, single mother cleaned, ironed, and provided childcare in order to give her daughter a private education and the opportunity to earn an engineering degree from Columbia University.

Together, Mulcahy and Burns have broken new ground. In 2007, when Mulcahy became CEO, Burns replaced Mulcahy as president and was appointed a seat on the board. In 2009, Mulcahy retired and Burns became CEO, marking two more firsts: the first transition of power from one woman to another at a large public company, and the first to be run by a Black woman.

“I think we are really tough on each other … in a way most people can't handle.”

–Anne Mulcahy referring to Ursula Burns

Mulcahy took over when the company was in shambles. Through a strong partnership, Burns and Mulcahy saved Xerox in a major turnaround, transforming red ink to black ink within a few years. In the process, they also became a close duo, often finishing ...