The CEO-Chair relationship is vital—yet fleeting. This article covers the high stakes and key steps to make most of their time together under pressure.

Leaders today are being pulled into deeper complexity, and they need help adjusting themselves and their mindsets for the encroaching journey to lead others through this massive shift.

Scale-up founders wear many hats, balancing rapid growth with team dynamics, organizational clarity, and leadership demands. It’s a phase filled with questions that can shape the trajectory of their business and personal growth.

In an era of seismic shifts, from climate to technological upheavals, boards must do more than keep pace – they must lead the charge. However, future readiness doesn’t come from compliance or ticking boxes; it requires boards to step back regularly, scrutinise their decisions, and question how they arrived at them.

Learn expert insight, tips, and best practices for developing your family business succession plan from the expert family planning consultants at Egon Zehnder.

According to German Herrera, U.S. managing partner, nearly three-quarters of CEO appointments the firm facilitates are internal. "Bringing somebody from the outside directly into the CEO role is very traumatic. Unless there’s a big change, a big turnaround, or a significant issue, boards don’t want to take that risk," he explains.

As German Herrera, Egon Zehnder's U.S. leader, highlights in Fortune, it is essential to move away from checkboxes of experience and focus on traits such as curiosity, self-learning, the ability to connect the dots, and more.

Effective succession planning is more than just preparing for leadership changes—it's a strategic investment in your organization's future. By fostering leadership development, mitigating risks, and ensuring business continuity, succession planning helps companies build resilience, retain top talent, and maintain a competitive edge. Discover why organizations that prioritize this process are better positioned to thrive in an ever-evolving business landscape.

"I was at a concert when it hit me: This is what effective succession looks like." Read on for the full piece by Lindsay Trout.