Some insights on making impact in the first 100 days and thereafter in a new role
- PROMOTE YOURSELF.Make a mental break from your old job. Prepare to take charge in the new one. Don’t assume that what has made you successful so far will in all situations continue to do so. The dangers of sticking with what you know, working hard at doing it, and missing new insights very real.
- ACCELERATE YOUR LEARNING.Climb the learning curve as fast as you can in your new organization. Understand drivers, markets, products, technologies, systems, and structures, as well as its culture and politics. It is a lot to absorb so be systematic and focused about deciding what you need to learn.
- CAREFULLY MATCH STRATEGY TO THE SITUATION. There are no universal rules for success in transitions. You need to diagnose the business situation accurately and clarify its challenges and opportunities. Consider four very different situations: launching a start-up, leading a turnaround, devising realignment, and sustaining a high-performing unit. You need to know what your unique situation looks like before you develop your action plan.
- SECURE EARLY WINS.Early victories build your credibility and create momentum. They create virtuous cycles that leverage organizational energy. In the first few weeks, you need to identify opportunities to build personal credibility. In the first 100 days, you need to identify ways to create value and improve business results. Take care to ensure any quick wins are part of the overall strategic intent and aim.
- NEGOTIATE SUCCESS.You need to figure out how to build a productive working relationship with your new boss and manage their expectations. No other relationship is more important. This means having a series of critical talks about the situation, expectations, style, resources, and your personal development. Crucially, it means developing and gaining consensus on your 100-day plan.
- ACHIEVE ALIGNMENT. The higher you rise in an organization, the more you have to play the role of organizational architect. This means working out whether the organization’s strategy is sound, bringing its structure into alignment with its strategy, and developing the systems and skills bases necessary to deliver strategic intent.
- BUILD YOUR TEAM.If you are inheriting a team, you will need to evaluate its members. Perhaps you need to restructure it to better meet demands of the situation. Your willingness to make tough early personnel calls and your capacity to select the right people for the right positions are among the most important drivers of success during your transition.
- CREATE COALITIONS.Your success will depend on your ability to influence people outside your direct line of control. Supportive alliances, both internal and external, will be necessary to achieve your goals.
- KEEP YOUR BALANCE.The risks of losing perspective, getting isolated, and making bad calls are ever present during transitions. The right advice-and-counsel network is an indispensable resource
- EXPEDITE EVERYONE. Finally, you need to help everyone else – direct reports, bosses, and peers – accelerate their own transitions. The quicker you can get your new direct reports up to speed, the more you will help your own performance.
The First 100 days – useful books
Career Development Books
Some other insights – to consider your transition if you are promoted into or take up a larger leadership role :
1.Reflect on the context of your transition from both your perspective and that of your key stakeholders.
2. Establish your initial set of priorities aligned with a full understanding of what others expect of you . Test your ideas,plans.thinking and straw models with others as part of achieving buy in.
3. Be clear about how you will control your agenda and allocate time and energy.
4. Build excellent relationships with your boss ,peers and key influencers. See this as developing an effective coalition to enable your agenda.
5.Consider how you will develop your direct reports and make any team changes.
6. Think through your communication plan including internal and external needs.
7.Seek and value feedback.
8. Establish personal ground rules to balance work and out of work time.
9.Make sure you have good external and internal intelligence sources to inform your thinking,strategy and implementation
DETAILED PLANNING INSIGHTS
A Small Example of part of a comprehensive approach:
| Category | Importance to success in role :
Low –Med –High |
My objective for my 100 day plan |
| TRANSFORMATION | ||
| Strategy development/implementation | ||
| Innovation/Creativity | ||
| Project management | ||
| Programme management | ||
| Business case development | ||
| Effective Analysis/ synthesis/generating options | ||
| TRANSACTIONAL EXCELLENCE | ||
| Operational Excellence | ||
| Planning/workflow management | ||
| Project management | ||
| Administration excellence | ||
| Data management/production | ||
| External relationship building/management | ||
| COMMERCIAL IMPACT | ||
| Sales and Revenue growth | ||
| Cost control /Reduction | ||
| Budget management | ||
| Business case delivery | ||
| PEOPLE SKILLS | ||
| Customer /client service excellence | ||
| Team work | ||
| Team leadership | ||
| Multi- team leadership | ||
| Influencing senior managers/executives | ||
| Internal influence: networking and coalition building | ||
| External influence:networking/coalition building | ||
| COMMUNICATION EXCELLENCE | ||
| Report writing /writing skills | ||
| Speaking/presenting skills | ||
| OTHER | ||
| Specific technical skills : | ||
| Personal development aim | ||
| OTHER requirement:
|
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Use the checklist to consider the key features and required achievements/deliverables for you role .Add any features missing specific to the role.
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Rate each feature in terms of importance – LOW /MEDIUM /HIGH
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Produce a clear objective for each medium and high scoring category
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Agree the objectives with your manager/leader
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Track progress
coachingconrucopia 2021 