What It Takes to Execute a Successful Company Turnaround

What It Takes to Execute a Successful Company Turnaround

From HBR On Leadership by Harvard Business Review

March 18, 2026 · 29 min · Episode 153

About this episode

Peter Cuneo discusses effective strategies for executing successful company turnarounds based on his extensive experience in leadership roles.

If a company starts to veer off track, whether amid technological change, marketplace conditions, or otherwise, it is daunting to get back on a path to growth. But big turnarounds are possible, provided you have the right team and mindset. When he was president and CEO of Marvel, Peter Cuneo oversaw the resurgence and sale of the media company, but even before that he had a long track record for turning around many types of consumer-facing businesses at brands from Clairol to Black & Decker. He shares the strategies that work best for shaking up organizations and teams and boosting their performance.

People in this episode

Guest: Peter Cuneo

Topics covered

  • company turnaround
  • leadership
  • business strategy
  • organizational change
  • performance improvement

Keywords

  • turnaround
  • leadership
  • business growth
  • strategy
  • performance

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Marvel, Clairol, Black & Decker

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