Case Study: 12 Rules for Becoming a Successful Business Successor

You are not able to change the work ethic successfully until you adopt and learn the old work ethic. If the predecessor comes in early, you come in early. If the predecessor works on weekends, then you work on weekends. These tasks are not entirely necessary to run the business, but these tasks are necessary to gain the confidence of the predecessor.

11. The successor must have specific technical knowledge gained by serving in various functions (jobs) of the business. In doing these jobs, the successor has no more authority than anyone else serving in these jobs. It is through the development of the technical competence of the organization that the successor is best prepared to lead. A leader who does not understand the work of those led remains a poor leader forever.

12. It is the successor’s job to accommodate the predecessor; it is not the predecessor’s job to please the successor.

And there they are—12 concepts for the successor to consider. I don’t think they can be ignored without adverse consequence.

Tom Crouser is principal of Crouser & Associates, Inc., 4710 Chimney Drive, Charleston, WV 25302, www.crouser.com or call 304-965-7100. Tom works with businesses undergoing an internal transition of ownership, either among family members or people who work in the business, and welcomes your inquiries. Contact him at tom@crouser.com and read all of his posts at www.tomcrouser.com. He also tweets business topics from @TomCrouser. You can find Tom on Facebook by searching for “Business with Tom Crouser.”