Article at a glance:

Leading change: An interview with the CEO of Banca Intesa

• In this interview, Corrado Passera describes the turnarounds at Poste Italiane, Italy's state-owned post office, and Banca Intesa, the country's leading bank.
• Each case was different, but common themes emerge: the need to rediscover earlier roots of success, the importance of balancing sacrifices with benefits, and the challenge of managing internal and external expectations.
• Passera's experience shows that change initiatives work well only with a well-functioning top team and committed leadership across the organization.
• He is convinced that executives need to manage restructuring and growth at the same time.