Dan Sestak scanned the article on page two of the business section again, his headache intensifying. “Three months after NutriSelect CEO Michael Botolph died of a heart attack, the skills of his successor are being questioned,” it read. “Insiders report that new CEO Daniel Sestak, aged 43, lacks the experience and the vision to effectively take the helm.” The story went on to reveal worrisome details about the company’s financial situation, which was shakier than it had appeared.
A version of this article appeared in the January–February 2010 issue of Harvard Business Review.