New leaders are often encouraged to dive in and lead change quickly. Conventional wisdom suggests that it is important to do this in the first 90 days.
However, new research reported in Harvard Business Review, suggests that “slow and steady” may be best. Leadership is more like a Marathon, than a Sprint.
Why is this? Because it takes time to build the trust and support of key stakeholders. And only with this support, can your leadership truly succeed.
Here are suggestions from the HBR article on how you can build a virtuous cycle of success as a new leader.
*Align Your Team. Rather than launching a new eye-catching initiative early on, assemble a team that is committed to one another and a common vision for the future. Take time to build relationships and trust with the team.
*Engage Stakeholders. Identify the stakeholders whose support will be key to the success of your mission and vision. Ask for their input and ideas. Stay in frequent contact with them.
*Build Momentum Deliberately. Once you have built support and trust with your team and stakeholders, pick some small wins you can initiate to build momentum. Schedule these out and add larger projects as success builds.
*Communicate, Communicate, Communicate. Continually remind your team, the stakeholders, and everyone in the entire organization of the mission, vision, and path forward. It is sometimes remarkable how quickly people forget.
*Continuous Learning. Don’t ignore your own learning. Your development is a key part of continuous improvement for the entire organization, and you set the pace for this. Serve as a role model by attending educational programs and/or using an executive coach for your improvement.
Many leaders want to “announce their presence with authority” in the first few days on the job. While you may be able to push through some new ideas during your honeymoon with the force of your personality, long term success takes a more methodical path. Follow this path for sustained Mission Impact.
*Ideas for this blog taken from: Hildebrand, C. A., Baumgarten, J, and Madhavan, M. “How CEOs Build Confidence in Their Leadership,” Harvard Business Review, July – August 2024, pp. 52-56.
