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Elevating Board Culture
By Mandy Wright
To be effective in the face of numerous challenges, boards must create a board culture that is agile, inclusive, and high-performing so that they can be prepared to take on these obstacles.
NACD Directorship Certification
NACD Directorship Certification is the premier US-based certification program designed to qualify corporate directors for effective boardroom performance.
Director Professionalism
The definitive boardroom fundamentals course. Immerse yourself in the boardroom practices most in demand for today’s governance. This eLearning format is available when and where you want.

Chapters Near You
The Chapter Network is one of the most valuable benefits of NACD membership. It’s a coast-to-coast governance community for actively engaged directors looking to cultivate meaningful peer relationships.
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We’d love to hear from you.
Feel free to email us . We will get back to you within two business days. For immediate assistance, call us at 571-367-3700.
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Members, login to access exclusive insights, education & events, your member portal and personal library… and more. NACD is continually updating the member website experience.
NACD Directorship Certification
NACD Directorship Certification is the premier US-based certification program designed to qualify corporate directors for effective boardroom performance.
Director Professionalism
The definitive boardroom fundamentals course. Immerse yourself in the boardroom practices most in demand for today’s governance. This eLearning format is available when and where you want.

Chapters Near You
The Chapter Network is one of the most valuable benefits of NACD membership. It’s a coast-to-coast governance community for actively engaged directors looking to cultivate meaningful peer relationships.
Contact Us
We’d love to hear from you.
Feel free to email us . We will get back to you within two business days. For immediate assistance, call us at 571-367-3700.
Access Exclusive Content
Members, login to access exclusive insights, education & events, your member portal and personal library… and more. NACD is continually updating the member website experience.
Photo Credit: iStock/Marco Venturini Autieri
Feature
Beyond the Basics: The Real Differentiators Between Success and Failure in CEO Succession
By Josh Rubenstein, Jeff McLean, and Samantha Hellauer
10/01/2023
Boards know the basics of CEO succession planning, but many CEOs still have a shorter than desired tenure. What can boards do differently to ensure that their CEO succession plan does not just cover the fundamentals but does everything possible to set them up for success?
Corporate directors largely know and follow foundational CEO succession best practices, which helps them avoid the biggest, most obvious missteps in finding a new CEO...
Endnotes:
1 Ruth Umoh, “About 40% of new CEOs fail within 18 months. Here’s what separates the best from the rest,” Fortune, March 11, 2022, https://fortune.com/2022/03/11/how-best-fortune-500-ceos-leverage-boards.
2 Jeanne Sahadi, “Up to half of exiting CEOs don’t quit. They get fired,” CNN, July 19, 2019, https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/19/success/ceos-getting-fired/index.html.
Josh Rubenstein is a partner at ghSMART with a focus on CEO succession, CEO coaching, and building top teams.
Jeff McLean, NACD.DC, is president of ghSMART and advises public and private company boards, CEOs, and investors on building winning leadership teams.
Samantha Hellauer is a senior manager and researcher at ghSMART. She focuses on CEO succession, boards, and private equity.
Thank you for your interest in this page.
Feature
By Mandy Wright
To be effective in the face of numerous challenges, boards must create a board culture that is agile, inclusive, and high-performing so that they can be prepared to take on these obstacles.
Feature
By Mandy Wright
Hear from Kathryn Carson as she discusses her experience as chair of USA Gymnastics.
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By Neal A. Pollard and Shelley B. Leibowitz
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