Dear Bob ...I'm the head of IT in our not-very-big company. The CEO just announced his departure. The Board will name an interim CEO to serve until a new one is found - they're hoping they have someone by Sept. 1. Advice for what if any role or comments or whatever I should do?- Feeling vulnerableDear Vulnerable ...Here's what comes to mind:* Talk with the IT staff. I doubt any of them will figure it's the end o Dear Bob …I’m the head of IT in our not-very-big company. The CEO just announced his departure. The Board will name an interim CEO to serve until a new one is found – they’re hoping they have someone by Sept. 1. Advice for what if any role or comments or whatever I should do? – Feeling vulnerableDear Vulnerable …Here’s what comes to mind: * Talk with the IT staff. I doubt any of them will figure it’s the end of the world, but some might find this cause for concern. Give them a sense of what to expect in the interim (see next item).* Focus on day-to-day operations. If there are some no-brainers that have hung around waiting for you to get to them, this might be an opportunity to get them done. If there are initiatives already in motion, keep them going. But to the extent possible, avoid starting major new directions or projects. If the new CEO doesn’t like them, you end up in the hot seat.* When the new CEO starts, keep your head down for a couple of months while you figure out how he/she thinks about things. You’ll appear smarter listening than talking. Interestingly, listening is smarter than talking in this situation. * If there’s any aspect of how you positioned yourself with the old CEO that you didn’t like, this is an opportunity to correct the situation.* In the interim, coordinate your decisions even more closely with your immediate manager (if that wasn’t the CEO), and spend even more time and energy than you did before “syndicating” any important decisions with the company’s top executives. When the new CEO starts, everyone will start feeding information to him/her about who’s naughty and who’s nice.* Respect whatever direction the interim CEO sets, but not so much that you end up sticking your own neck out very far. Interim CEOs are caretakers, or should be. If you see signs that the one the Board appoints is going beyond that role, be careful to avoid future guilt by association. * Do your best to stay in touch with the old CEO. Whatever else his departure represents, it also represents an expansion of your personal network.– Bob Technology Industry