Companies shift power at the top all the time, but research suggests that the sudden loss of a leader affects a company differently than a smooth transition, such as a successfully orchestrated succession plan. Given that companies often experience fast, dramatic shifts in power, there are ways to ease the blow to employees, who often feel traumatized by the change. Actually, Apple has been preparing for this transition for some time. Jobs had been grooming Apple's former COO Tim Cook to take over. "Cook was hand-selected by Steve Jobs and socialized into the role," says Gilad Chen, a professor of management and organization at the University of Maryland. "That will hopefully allow Apple to experience a smoother transition than companies that didn't really expect a change." But even companies that aren't expecting a major leadership shift should prepare for one, says David Ballard, director of the American Psychological Association's healthy workplace program.