New lead, new breed

Bell Atlantic could teach AT&T something about leadership transition. Later this year, Ivan Seidenberg, former Nynex leader and current Bell Atlantic vice chairman and chief operating officer, is scheduled to take over the Bell Atlantic helm from retiring chairman and CEO Ray Smith.

This is a giant step for a company that has known only Smith as its chief. Smith strides the industry stage with more poise, decisiveness and character than many other telco leaders and was quick to name Seidenberg as chairman designate shortly after the Bell Atlantic/Nynex merger was announced in early 1996.

For his part, Seidenberg doesn't seek to compare himself with Smith. "Ray's great, but I don't compare myself to anyone. What I value most is being as fact-based as possible about what we're doing, having a sense of accountability and having a sense of humor," says the quick-witted Seidenberg.

His gameness and his scars from the Battle of Manhattan-where Seidenberg's former company was more viciously attacked by competitors than any other Bell company in the last decade-will position him well for the years ahead.

It is an era in which the Bell companies must adapt to change rather than force the iron will of past monopolies down the throat of an industry and customer base that will no longer swallow it.

That spirit of change will drive Seidenberg as he seeks to make Bell Atlantic more competitive. He sees globalization as an important goal for the still-regional carrier, as well as long-distance market entry.

"Time has proved we're adaptable," he says. "As we migrate to a digital and data world, we're changing from a last-mile mentality to a first-mile mentality. In that world, the first-mile is most important."

Operational integration between the merged companies, however, still may be a challenge. Seidenerg sees this as one of the most critical technology issues his company will face in the next two years. "Our company must change the way it interacts physically and intelligently."