Chief Executive Officer William R. Johnson of the H. J. Heinz Company, in support of his own CEO succession planning and development efforts, sponsored the research project that prompted publication of this book. The work was made possible by the participation and remarkable candor of Bill and twenty-six other sitting CEOs of global companies. Drs. Leslie W. Braksick and James S. Hillgren of the Continuous Learning Group, Inc. conducted the research during 2008 and 2009. The purpose of the research is to provide unvarnished advice based on the real experiences of sitting CEOs to assist in preparing future CEOs, executives, and leaders. Often, the participants' experiences were unflattering to themselves or their companies, and yet they shared openly and honestly with the assurance of confidentiality. It matters not who said what, but rather that an impressive collection of CEO peers offered these important insights for future peer CEOs.

Leslie W. Braksick, Ph.D., is a nationally known consultant, executive coach, and author. In 1993, she cofounded The Continuous Learning Group, Inc. (CLG), which is the largest behaviorally based consulting firm in the world. Her book Unlock Behavior, Unleash Profits (2nd ed., 2007, McGraw-Hill) ranked number 14 on the Wall Street Journal's Best Selling Business Books List in July 2007. The book has also been ranked number 6 of the top 10 business books in 2007 according to 800CEORead. Leslie holds a doctorate in applied behavior science and master's in industrial psychology. She is currently enrolled in Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health and expects to complete her MPH in May 2011. James Hillgren, Ph.D., specializes in helping businesses and organizations increase competitive performance by working with executives in the implementation of the unique practices of organizations with sustained high performance. A graduate of the University of Texas, Jim has a doctorate in clinical psychology.