Your CEO Just Pulled the Parachute – Now What?

So, the CEO is gone. Maybe he saw it coming and deployed the golden parachute. Maybe she jumped without one, leaving the company in freefall. Either way, you're in the cockpit now, staring at a blinking dashboard, wondering who should grab the controls or you hope the autopilot holds until help arrives.

There are a few ways to handle this.

One option is to let the seat stay empty while you look for a new captain. The problem? No one trusts an empty cockpit. Investors, employees, and customers start wondering who’s flying the plane. Confidence wobbles, decisions stall, and before you know it, you’re not just dealing with leadership vacuum—you’re watching performance nosedive.

You could pick someone already on board. Maybe your CFO is solid, maybe your operations lead knows the business inside out. But are they ready for turbulence? An internal promotion works when the person is a natural fit, but if it’s a "good enough for now" move, you risk putting someone in the seat who’s never flown this high before. They might keep the plane steady, or they might panic and push the wrong buttons.

Then there’s the consultant route. They come in, give expert advice, maybe even tell you what’s wrong with the engines. But they’re not the ones landing the plane. You get strategy, insights, and maybe a fancy report, but the hands-on leadership? That’s still on you.

And then there’s the interim executive. They’ve flown before. Different planes, different conditions, sometimes in worse shape than yours. They step in, assess the situation, bring clarity to the crew, and make sure the landing gear is still working. They’re not here to stay, they don’t need to impress anyone for long-term job security. They just make sure the business doesn’t lose altitude while you find the right permanent leader.

If your company just lost its pilot, don’t leave the cockpit empty. Let’s talk.

I might just be available soon.