7 Best Practices for a New Leader’s Assimilation

As a seasoned executive, you are well aware that your first 90 days in a new role, whether with a company you currently work for or a new one, are the most essential. You know that what you do at the beginning will set the tone for your tenure and determine employee expectations. But what you may be not as clear on is what you should do in that critical time period. You ask yourself, what’s the best leadership stance? Should I come in bold, make sweeping changes and put my own stamp on the situation? Or should I be more patient and validate the past before setting forth a personal agenda?

The reality is that your best bet is somewhere in between. You do want to make your mark, because that is why you were hired. However, even though you are an executive with a wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise that needs to be applied, you would be wise to be measured in your timing.

A new leader is like the proverbial new kid on the block. No one wants the new kid coming in and taking over right away. The fact is, the savviest new kid takes in the environment, gets to know the cliques, and discovers his or her niche before leaping into action. With that in mind, take some time to read and consider some best practices gleaned from leaders who have successfully moved into new “neighborhoods.”

1. Do Nothing. The first thing you should do is nothing. Do not introduce any sweeping change initiatives. And do NOT fire anyone right away. It is important for me to say that again: Do NOT fire anyone. Any change effort at this point will be viewed with skepticism, because your employees are of the opinion that you don’t really know or understand them or their business yet, and are thus unable to make informed decisions.Action Ideas:
   • Begin to capture in succinct message points the reasons that you took this job, so you can utilize this information in future communications. Ask yourself: Why did I want to work for this organization? What difference did I think I could make? Why did I think I could make those differences?
   • Strategize on finding ways to develop personal credibility with your direct reports, their direct reports and your peers. Give thought to what it is about you and your background that gives you the authority to fill this role.
2. Take a Walk. Get a feel for the “neighborhood” you’ve moved into. Take walks to explore the work area. Find out where everyone’s desks are located, where employees congregate for lunches and/or breaks, and where the “water cooler” conversations actually take place. A new leader also needs to know what customers and/or clients experience when interacting with employees. First-hand observations are critical data points to use in making decisions later.Action Ideas:
   • “Mystery shop” your area.
   • Find alternate routes to your office to maximize your exposure to employees.
   • When meeting with your direct reports, do so in their offices. Greet employees as you walk to and from meetings.
   • Have lunch where your employees eat.
   • Get your own beverages and make a point of engaging any of your employees you see along the way.
3. Grab a Cup of Coffee. Employees across the board LOVE it when leaders, especially those who are more than one leadership level above them, seek their input. Often, the closer the employee is to the customers and/or clients, the more in touch he or she is with potential ideas for innovation or process improvements. So, by all means, connect with your employees—ask them to have coffee with you and give them a chance to share their perspectives on the business. Listening to them doesn’t mean that you have to do what they say, but giving them a chance to be heard will do a world of good for your credibility.Action Ideas:
   • Conduct informal meetings with employees.
   • Establish and chair “circles of excellence” meetings during which employees can share ideas to improve the business.
   • Start a blog to solicit employee conversation and input.
   • Create “office hours” with open-door time so employees can stop by and provide their input.
4. Read up. More than likely, there is plenty of documentation available that will give you insight into your area. Obviously, you want to look at financial reports. But your organization may also have an annual report, performance reports, succession planning summaries, customer satisfaction survey results, employee survey results, etc. So, read up and familiarize yourself with how you are doing against key measures.Action Ideas:
   • Ask your key business partners such as finance and human resources for copies of all relevant reports and written documentation from their areas.
   • Ask your peers for copies of other reports and measures that are important for you to note and track.
5. Throw a party. Even though you will not have a big change to introduce right away, you need to find ways to get groups of employees together so they can start experiencing you as the “face” of their team. It is important that your employees get a sense of who you are and why you want to be a part of the team, as well as a feeling for your overall leadership style.Action Ideas:
   • Host a “Town Hall” meeting where accomplishments are celebrated.
   • Initiate a weekly teleconference for all employees to share updates and download relevant information.
   • Host a “meet and greet” lunch during which employees can come by and meet you in person.
6. Be a good neighbor. A successful executive is one who knows how to lead not only up and down, but also across. Find out who your peers are and create strategic alliances and partnerships. The quickest route to broader organizational credibility is for a department and its leader to be seen as a positive partner with other departments or areas.Action Ideas:
   • Ask your assistant to schedule meet and greets with every one of your boss’ or bosses’ direct reports.
   • During your meet and greets, find out who the key players are in other areas of the organization that your executive team often partners with, and schedule meetings with those individuals.
   • Ask your direct reports about the areas they partner with and how effective those partnerships are, then schedule ongoing meetings with the leaders in those areas.
7. Talk less, listen more. Ask questions, ask questions, and then ask more questions! If your organization has made use of a consultant in the past, arrange a meeting with him or her. If your organization has not used a consultant, consider hiring one to do an initial comprehensive business assessment to help you frame your highest-priority issues.

The Bottom Line

Executives who are successful over the long term know how to balance internal reflection with external action. Shooting from the hip may work well during short-term situations such as a new product launch. But using that strategy during the first 90 days that you are in a new role is generally not the best idea.

It’s far better to spend that time period learning and reflecting, because both activities will yield a high return when you begin to make changes. At that point, the time you spent learning the “neighborhood” will have earned you the loyalty and support of your employees and peers. And the information you have gathered will help you avoid wasting resources on false starts and rework.

So, although moving forward slowly may go against your desire to achieve immediate results, taking the time to learn and reflect will serve you quite well over the long term.

Are you wondering how you can make the most of your first 90 days? Check out the other resources (including a tool you can use for your new leader assimilation: New Leader Assimilation) available online at www.acceleraconsultinggroup.com or give us a call at 407.376.8522 for a free consultation.  We accelerate results by igniting leadership and organizational potential!