Robert Sharrock recently transitioned into a more client-facing role as Managing Director, Board & CEO Advisory Practice after leading the company as CEO for five years. Robert has always counseled clients to see CEO succession planning as an ongoing exercise and to avoid a leadership vacuum by having a robust senior talent pipeline at the ready. When he was offered the CEO role, he was excited to accept and did so knowing he would go back to full-time client work after a few years. During his tenure as the CEO, he set a goal of elevating the talent at our leadership level, thereby enabling a smooth transition once he was ready to step aside.
This experience has left Robert with a greater sense of empathy for CEOs facing their succession. As he explains in his contributed piece for Chief Executive Group, he now encourages the CEOs he counsels to take the time to think about the next phase of their career, and to do so despite the pressures and scrutiny of their current role.