Balance Points from the Team

What Does Success Look Like?

02.20.18

What Does Success Look Like?

This is a complicated question because there are two different people trying to answer it; the new leader and his or her boss. Obviously the two sides need to align for success to occur, but the first step is to ask the question. For as long as I’ve been doing this, it still amazes me how infrequently this actually happens. So, in this blog we’ll take a look at defining success from both viewpoints.

New Leaders

When I talk to new leaders, they are usually very motivated to hit a home run in their first week, which is totally understandable. Who doesn’t want to prove themselves right out of the gate? Instead, I encourage them to take a page from the last blog and step back for a moment. Why? Because time and time again leaders have shown that what they thought they knew in their first week on the job doesn’t hold true four or five weeks in.

The assimilation coaching process provides a structure to learn about your new surroundings; the culture, the people, the structure, the strategy. Instead of shooting for the artificial milepost that is the early win, take the time to define key relationships with peers, direct reports and higher management.

Build an assessment of what’s working and what is not. In doing so you will create thoughtful outcomes that result in alignment with your boss and meaningful wins for you.

The Boss

In assimilation coaching, one of my favorite conversations is with the boss. When I ask what success looks like for their new leader there’s usually a long pause. They have been so focused on the tactical side of recruiting and onboarding that creating success benchmarks once the person is in place hasn’t even been on their radar. Eventually, key initiatives for leaders are identified and they usually look something like this:

  1. Build relationships with your team and key stakeholders. There are probably five to eight people you really need to invest in initially. Identify these people and learn everything you can about their strengths, goals and opportunities to contribute.
  2. Gain a clear understanding of the company culture. You now need to learn how to do it in a new setting. When you have a deep understanding of what makes the organization tick, you have an insider’s perspective that will set you up for success.
  3. Develop a plan for success. Your boss wants your assessment of where things stand now and what your key initiatives are. Giving your honest feedback starts a valuable conversation that creates a unified path, identifies focus points and provides clarity (and a sense of relief) for both of you.

Starting a new leadership position without a definition of success is a little like driving in the fog (more on that in a future blog post!). I hope these steps give you a sense of direction so you can leverage the right skills and set the right pace. If you don’t know what success should look like in three months you have one job to do before the next blog in this series comes out: Ask.

Click here to learn more about Gary Halverson.

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