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Top Ten Success Factors
for Leaders Transitioning into Organizations

Summary

The first 90 days with a new employer, or in a new leadership role, are fraught with challenge and involve significant risk. The cost of failure is high.

This report provides insights into what sets leaders up for success and what gets in the way, during their first 90 days.

The findings are based on my experiences in coaching numerous leaders-in-transition and consulting to a variety of organizations from start-up small businesses to Fortune 500 multi-nationals. I have also included input obtained through 20 in-depth interviews with: senior line executives, human resources leaders, external leadership coaches and recruiters. Further, I have conducted an extensive review of the key research on successful onboarding practices.

I have distilled this information down into the following high level overview of the Top Ten Success Factors in this critical timeframe.

1. Listen, observe and ask questions:

Overwhelmingly, senior line executives, human resources professionals, external coaches and recruiters alike say that the number one skill to focus on in the first 90-days is “listening, observing and asking questions”. It’s powerful in its simplicity and yet seemingly difficult for people to accept.

After being wooed in the recruitment process, leaders typically expect to be looked to for their words of wisdom, their wealth of previous experience and their plans for change in their early weeks on the job. Ironically, after all the time spent in the recruitment process focusing on background experience, competencies and whether the leader “has what it takes” to be ready for the role, the best strategy for the leader-in-transition is essentially to become a learner again.

New leaders who use their time well in the initial stages will actively seek opportunities to meet with, listen to and observe as many different people and situations as possible, so that when they do move to action or offer their perspective, it will be grounded in the reality of the new organization

2. Build relationships:

Building new relationships is also key to success in a new organization.

While there are various relationships that are important to build, the priority focus should be on:

• Boss
• Peers
• Direct Reports

These relationships are critical to establishing the foundation necessary to equip the leader-in-transition for both near-term and longer-term success.

It is particularly important to gain an understanding of the manager’s preferred communication style and preferences for being updated. It is also critical to walk the fine line between respecting the boss’s time and being pro-active about asking for information and support.

Creating a connection with peers and direct reports at a personal level helps the leader-in-transition to get past resistance and enlist the support of others.

3. Respect existing culture:

Often leaders-in-transition will come into a new organization eager to redesign all aspects of the operation. Afterall, many new leaders are recruited with the explicit message that they are been hired to foster change.

Despite being hired as a change agent, experience suggests that it is critical to first demonstrate interest in and respect for the prevailing culture, company history, business practices, etc. No one wants to hear “at my old company, we did it this way”. Leaders joining a new organization who demonstrate that they are well aware that they are now in a new and different culture will create better receptivity for their ideas.

Showing genuine interest in what the new organization does well and giving this feedback to others is a great way of showing respect and provoking thinking about what strengths can be more powerfully leveraged. This approach uses the new leader’s fresh perspective to great advantage.

4. Be visible/ approach others:

Employees need access to new leaders and opportunities to get to know who they are early in the game. When these opportunities are not provided, people in the organization will make assumptions about the personal values and management style of the leader-in-transition. These assumptions may not be accurate.

Visibility is important at all levels of the organization and all locations, particularly if the operation is geographically dispersed. In reflecting back on their onboarding experiences, executives often express regret at not spending more time informally with people at various levels, so that employees could see their “human side”.

5. Get clarity on expectations:

As soon as possible after a new leader joins an organization, it is important to get clarity on:

• Expectations of the leader-in-transition
• Expectations that the leader-in-transition has of others

Clarifying expectations of the new leader involves having a clear understanding of the mandate of the role, job description, objectives and performance measures. The leader-in-transition may need to be highly proactive to obtain this specificity. The conversations between the new leader and his or her manager should involve essentially contracting for desired outcomes and behaviours.

Some helpful questions for clarifying expectations are:

• What does your manager need you to do in the short term and in the medium term?
• What does success in your new role look like to your manager?
• What do you need to accomplish in the position that hasn’t been done before?
• What are your internal customers and peers expecting of you?

With direct reports, new leaders need to clarify their own expectations, describe their own leadership style, preferred modes of communication and methods of being updated. There are apt to be many others in the organization who also need to gain an early understanding of what the new leader expects.

6. Be your authentic self; establish who you are:

The pressure of meeting the expectations of a new role, new boss and new organization can lead some new hires to try so hard in their role that they end up “acting a part”. This persona can be very difficult to maintain over time and can get in the way of developing strong relationships with others in the new environment.

Today’s organizations are demanding “authentic leadership”, “leadership from the inside-out”, integrity and greater transparency.

Ironically, the research shows that leaders who are held in highest esteem are those who demonstrate the self-awareness and humility to let others know about areas of weakness or aspects of their role that they find challenging.

The opinions expressed on this theme are so strongly worded that some hiring managers equate “being yourself” with having strong ethics. The reverse is also true. People who are perceived to behave in a way that is inconsistent with their values, or who interact with one group of employees one way and another in a different way, are seen as inauthentic and unethical in their behaviour.

7. Ask for help; establish support systems:

When leaders join a new organization, typically they leave behind the established support systems that they been relying on for help. They were once secure in the knowledge of who they could trust and depend on. Now they need to essentially start from scratch.

It is crucial for leaders-in-transition to develop relationships with new work colleagues to provide insight into the real workings of the company, to help get things done efficiently, and to simply be a sounding board when the going gets tough.

Leaders who effectively leverage resources around them and are proactive about seeking help are those who are able best able to maximize their impact.

In addition to new work colleagues, many leaders rely heavily on trusted family members or life partners, particularly for emotional support during a stressful time. Others draw on the services of an external professional coach or consultant. Some leaders-in- transition rely on journaling and self-reflection as a means of ensuring that they optimize their own learning during this challenging time.

8. Make early decisions on small, quick fixes:

Some new hires put an inordinate amount of pressure on themselves to try to figure out “what’s the most dramatic improvement I can make in my first 3 months, so that I can demonstrate my worth?”

Yet, my research suggests that the best way to create early wins is to generate some relatively easy, quick fixes that provide relief for others and create tangible results. Successful new leaders address small issues that have frustrated others for some time, yet no one has gotten around to dealing with them. Eliminating a barrier that is getting in the way of direct reports’ accomplishments has a resounding impact. Making early decisions on small, quick fixes allows the new leader to demonstrate good judgment, while minimizing risk.

Effective leaders-in-transition will take the necessary time to develop a plan for tackling a big win, so that their solutions will not only be “on the mark”, but perceived to be as well. Other employees need to believe that the new leader truly understands the organization first before the big wins can be fully embraced.

9. Assess and build your team:

Great managers know that their success is heavily dependent on the talent of their direct reports and the strength of the team that they create. Well-regarded new leaders will listen and take into account the input provided by the organization and then make their own decisions about talent. Taking ownership for decisions around people is absolutely critical.

Leaders-in-transition will also spend time up-front getting to know each of their direct reports as individuals, holding meetings to discuss their roles, their strengths, their accomplishments, their passions and future career interests.

They also spend time determining how the group of individuals reporting to them are performing as a team and then they establish a plan to leverage areas of strength and to develop areas of weakness.

10. Build the vision; establish the plan collaboratively:

Many leaders feel pressured to arrive at their new company with their Vision already established or at a minimum they feel that they need to announce their Vision to their team within the first few weeks of joining.

However; my research indicates that it is far better for leaders to enter a new organization focusing simply on conveying who they are and what they represent. Then, then over the first 3 months, effective leaders will obtain the involvement they need to establish a collaborative Vision. This Vision should reflect the input of team members, key stakeholders and even customers.

Sue Edwards is a Leadership and Business Coach who specializes in working with leaders in transition to new roles and new organizations. For more information visit Sue's website - www.clearingthe90dayhurdle.com or contact Sue at info@clearingthe90dayhurdle.com, or by telephone at 905-336-6129.

 

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