42 M C K I N S EY Q UA RT E R LY N A I L YO U R F I R S T S A New CEO’s Guidebook to Stakeholder Impact New and incoming CEOs are often unprepared for the intensity of internal and external stakeholder engagement. Here’s how the right mindset, communication skills, and actions can make all the difference. by Blair Epstein, Carolyn Dewar, and Richard Steele, with Eric Sherman and Kate Freeland