Leadership Change: Here's How to Make It as Painless as Possible

That means avoiding what Tandon calls the “white knight attitude” — coming in with all the answers before even understanding what the issues are.

It helps to have a mentor in the organization as well, whether it be a board or staff member, as a sounding board and teacher.

The more help within the organization the new CEO can solicit, the more painless the transition will be. Once again, it all comes back to preparation.