Who could succeed Steve Ballmer at Microsoft?  Potential
successors abound from inside the company and out, including
Sheryl Sandberg, Kevin Johnson and Stephen Elop.  Whoever
succeeds Steve Ballmer as Microsoft's chief executive will have
to make up for a lot of lost time. The reason? Microsoft (MSFT,
Fortune 500), once the dominant technology company, is fighting
obsolescence. It failed to capitalize on the biggest technology
trends of the past decade -- mobile devices and Internet search
-- and must now play catch-up to rivals like Google (GOOG,
Fortune 500) and Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500).  Microsoft disclosed
its search for a new leader on Friday. Ballmer, the voluble
salesman who has led the company since 2000, said he planned to
resign within the next 12 months. There are a number of
potential successors, but no obvious front-runner has emerged.
Whoever is chosen must be comfortable in the spotlight along
with the intense pressure that comes with trying to revive such
a high-profile company.  Candidates