What to Do if Your CEO Gets the Ax

Here's what you should be able to do shortly after the new CEO takes over:

• You can defend the work you're doing, whether it be weathering a financial downturn, reorganizing processes to make them more efficient, or building a sense of teamwork in your department. Document those successes.
• You can think about what you would ask about if you were in the CEO's shoes, trying to determine whether to keep you on the team after the transition. Anticipate those questions, and have answers ready.
• You can justify the money you're spending on certain initiatives
• You can develop a culture of teamwork within your department and in conjunction with other departments.
• You can build collaborative relationships with your fellow department heads. It's rare that new bosses sack everyone in the previous leadership team. Those who will remain are your allies in helping the CEO make the decision whether to keep you or not.

Just don't get too comfortable. Remember, there's always someone who thinks they can do their job better than you. Your job is to let the new CEO know that no one can.

If you don't, whether they can do your job better or not, they may get that opportunity.

Editor's Note: You can read about HealthLeaders Media's take on the annual American Hospital Association's Leadership Summit. I attended the event, along with my colleague Jim Molpus, and we have been blogging live from San Francisco.