New Leader Transitions

Welcome to your new job! Your success thus far is no accident. You came this far because you leave nothing to chance. Your transition into your new role is no different.

Do new leaders in your organization sink or swim? Was transitioning to a new role a motivating challenge for you, or was it simply a rite of passage? Was it a mixed bag of successes and failures? If this was true of your transition, it didn’t have to be this way. With CLG’s assistance, any leader can achieve a flawlessly executed transition.

A staggering 70 percent of all new leaders fail within two years of taking on a new role. While most new leaders are expected to produce measurable results within 30 days, our research shows that it typically takes them between six to 12 months to fully transition into their jobs. Ironically, the same research shows that perceptions of new leaders’ abilities are formed within the first five days on the job.

Get There Faster with CLG

Expectations for new leaders are often unrealistic, but what’s worse is that they are often unknown. Whether you are new to your organization or just to the position, you and your superiors are often unrealistic about what it will take to be effective within the first six months. Additionally, you are likely in the dark about what results are expected, and what behaviors will help you get those results.

CLG Lends a Hand

CLG’s approach to new leader transitions is based on Applied Behavioral Science (ABS). This is a tried and true, data-based approach that connects business results to the critical few behaviors needed to get them. By helping you understand how to unlock your behavior and the behaviors of those you work with, you will position yourself to get the results you want the right way.

The key is knowing that your performance is reflected by what you do and how you do it. You need to understand expectations for both the results you need to deliver, and the behaviors that will make you successful. But simply knowing this is only half the battle. Success also relies on your ability to get pinpointed, honest, feedback on both your results and your behaviors. Here are the steps to ensure that this happens during your transition.

• Have a 100-day plan: The first several weeks are a whirlwind. Have a plan that cuts to the chase to keep you focused on the pertinent details and business interactions.
• Catalyze your learning: Have a systematic approach to get fluent in the business fundamentals of your customers, organization, and strategic direction.
• Connect with key stakeholders: Establish an atmosphere that allows your managers, peers and direct reports to see how you work and what you already know about the business. Take time to get to know the people around you. Ask for their opinions, answer their questions and listen to their feedback.
• Ensure clarity of direction: Spark momentum by sharing your business expectations with your team.
• Follow through on commitments: Set achievable expectations for the first six months – then revisit them at the end of the period. Build trust with your team by being clear on your work style.
• Actively listen and communicate often: Be aware of the tone and tenor of your approach. Your team will look for cues that indicate your position, opinions and style. Include in your strategy -- two to three messages that you want to communicate immediately, and stick with those themes.
• Model teamwork: Use your “honeymoon” period to build credibility with your team. The result will be a high-performing team that can function well in your absence.
• Have the right team in place: This is the time to make an assessment of existing team members, develop their existing talent or bring in new people to fill any gaps.
• Stay Balanced: How you handle this transition will influence your overall effectiveness, so make time to address the effect this will have on your personal life.
• Proactively manage others through their transition: As an effective leader you are viewed as a source of guidance and feedback, so take pains to make sure that your new employees’ behaviors are not left to chance.

Behavior is the Key to Lasting Changes

Success is a function of adapting your behavior to the situation at hand. Nothing changes until behavior changes. Meaningful behavior changes will determine if and how quickly you’ll make it happen. CLG helps you accomplish this by working with you to identify the critical leadership behaviors that are essential to accomplishing your objectives. Accordingly, we help you deliver those vital behaviors throughout your organization.

For more information, explore our white paper, Sink or Swim: The Harsh Reality of Leadership Transitions.