Guide for Boards During a CEO Health Event
A CEO health event is a governance test. The board must protect the executive's privacy, protect the company's operating cadence, and put a named acting or interim CEO in seat within days. All three are non-negotiable.
The short answer
A CEO health event is a governance test. The board must protect the executive's privacy, protect the company's operating cadence, and put a named acting or interim CEO in seat within days. All three are non-negotiable.
Practical steps
- Write the problem in one sentence before hiring or acting
- Name the single person who signs decisions
- Set a defined mandate with a written outcome and end date
- Separate governance decisions from operating decisions
- Communicate internally faster than externally
What good looks like
- A named operator in seat within days, not weeks
- A written 90-day plan agreed before signing
- Clear exit terms for the operator and any incumbent
- Board and shareholders aligned in writing
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