请阅读 Passage 2,完成第 26~30小题。
Passage2
When Liam McGee departed as president of Bank of America in August, hisexplanation was surprisingly straight up. Rather than cloaking his exit in theusual vague excuses, he came right out and said he was leaving "to pursuemy goal of running a company." Broadcasting his ambition was"very much my decision, " McGee says. Within two weeks, hewas talking for the first time with the board of Hartford Financial ServicesGroup, which named him CEO and chairman on September 29.
McGee says leaving without a position lined up gave him time to reflecton what kind of company he wanted to run. It also sent a clear message to theoutside world about his aspirations .And McGee isn't alone. In recent weeks theNo. 2 executives at Avon and American Express quit with the explanation thatthey were looking for a CEO post. As boards scrutinize succession plans in responseto shareholder pressure, executives who don't get the nod also may wish to moveon. A turbulent business environment also has senior managers cautious ofletting vague pronouncements cloud their reputations.
As the first signs of recovery begin to take hold, deputy chiefs may bemore willing to make the jump without a net. In the third quarter, CEO turnoverwas down 23% from a year ago as nervous boards stuck with the leaders they had,according to Liberum Research. As the economy picks up, opportunities willabound for aspiring leaders.
The decision to quit a senior position to look for a better one isunconventional. For years executives and headhunters have adhered to the rulethat the most attractive CEO candidates are the ones who must be poached.Says Korn/Ferry senior partner Dennis Carey: "I can't think of a single search I'vedone where a board has not instructed me to look at sitting CEOs first."
Those who jumped without a job haven't always landed in top positionsquickly. Ellen Marram quit as chief of Tropicana a decade age, saying shewanted to be a CEO. It was a year before she became head of a tinyInternet-based commodities exchange. Robert Willumstad left Citigroup in 2005with ambitions to be a CEO. He finally took that post at a major financialinstitution three years later.
Many recruiters say the old disgrace isfading for top performers. The financial crisis has made it more acceptable tobe between jobs or to leave a bad one. "The traditional rule was it's safer to stay where you are, butthat's been fundamentally inverted," says one headhunter. "The people who've been hurt the worstare those who've stayed too long. "
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