---
title: "Turnaround Executives: 7 Ways to Tell the Experts from the Posers"
description: Identifying true turnaround experts is crucial. Learn what traits distinguish genuine leaders from posers and how to respond to ineffective leadership.
---

[Blog | Brainzooming ](https://www.brainzooming.com/blog)

# [Turnaround Executives: 7 Ways to Tell the Experts from the Posers](https://www.brainzooming.com/blog/turnaround-executives-who-are-the-experts-who-are-posers)

 Written by [Mike Brown](https://www.brainzooming.com/blog/author/mike-brown) | Jan 30, 2025 6:15:04 AM

During my corporate life, I worked under multiple C-level executives who fashioned themselves as turnaround experts. [A couple really were truly adept at turnarounds](https://www.brainzooming.com/blog/innovation-strategy-with-a-new-audience); the others were clueless pretenders.

What distinguished the experts? [They were smart, insightful, and created results that moved an organization forward in lasting ways](https://www.brainzooming.com/blog/change-your-character-fixing-problems-as-a-turnaround-ceo).

The posers?

They may have created short-term results, but screwed up so much other stuff along the way that the net of all their impacts were negative.

### What did the real turnaround experts do?

- Sent a clear message that there was a new sheriff in town without screwing up daily operations.
- Demanded [dramatically accelerated STRATEGIC THINKING](https://www.brainzooming.com/blog/improve-strategic-thinking-skills), so that they could make [dramatically accelerated, FOCUSED DECISIONS](https://www.brainzooming.com/blog/making-a-decision-7-situations-begging-for-quick-decisions) about [what should continue and what they needed to eliminate](https://www.brainzooming.com/blog/3-paths-to-clarifying-business-strategy-before-going-fast).
- Didn’t trust people who were part of creating the problem, depending instead on long-term, trusted advisors.
- Introduced new insights to the organization that set the stage for breakthrough innovation.
- [Asked great questions](https://info.brainzooming.com/the600questions) AND LISTENED to discover who and what was performing well and delivering results, even if overall results were sub-par.
- Bypassed layers of bureaucracy to deliver (and gain) true, unfiltered messages to-and-from the people who matter most – on the front lines.
- Shared the benefits of change with everyone who stepped up, accepted risk, sacrificed, and delivered.

### What about the turnaround posers?

In contract to the experts, the posers would:

- Mandate bold, ill-advised, ego-driven changes that pushed daily activities into a frenzy (or even worse, a standstill) to signal that he (because it’s always a “he,” isn’t it?) is in charge.
- [Make dramatically accelerated, all-or-nothing decisions](https://www.brainzooming.com/blog/beware-of-morphfiendsfoes-of-solid-strategy) that cut wasted dollars and people as they wreaked pointless havoc on critical functions and positive impacts.
- Refuse to trust anyone who they didn’t know beforehand, unless the new people they brought in were bootlickers and fawned all over them.
- Trot out all of their old tropes, because, you know, they know best.
- Make definitive, "don’t challenge me" comments that rolled over important impacts and great opportunities that deserved pursuing.
- Ignore everyone below them because, who else mattered but them?
- Turn all the credit back on themselves since, at heart, they were narcissists.

**What does your world look like?**

You are in the position to discern the experts from the posers. Who looks like a real turnaround expert? Who are the turnaround posers? 

Final question: [If you are dealing with a poser trying to transform a body of people, what are you going to do about it—comply or stand for what’s right? – ](https://www.brainzooming.com/blog/corporate-sociopaths-and-horrible-bosses-7-ways-to-survive-them)*[Mike Brown](https://www.brainzooming.com/about-brainzooming/mike-brown/)*

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