You may have read the checklist of how to asssess your new company before accepting an offer.
You are about to take the plunge and now need to make sure that your first three months are effective in your new senior level or director role. At the back of your mind, you recall what consultants have told you - that if you fail to thrive during that time, you may have real problems later.
So, what should you do?
Here are the top ten tips:
- Establish early on who are the key people in power.
- Arrange one to one interviews with these executives on the business challenges they face and the operational issues they have with your department
- Establish what you can do to achieve early success, including how to help them
- Interview your direct reports to establish their concerns and existing priorities. You can listen objectively, but don't lay down the law just yet unless you are inheriting a function that is about to expire
- Draft out some immediate priorities for the next six months, and have those tabled with your boss,the CEO, by the end of your first month. These will blend your initiatives with the existing management concerns.There may also be one or two options that you can present to the CEO for his input. These aims may not be exactly what was discussed at interview, so flexibility is important
- Underpromise and over-deliver on what you agree. If, as is common with most busy organisations, you and your boss don't get round to discussing these objectives in any detail,keep him informed of what you are doing by email.
- Clear business objectives that include deliverables of making or saving money usually find favour.
- Discuss and agree objectives with each of your direct reports,asking them for their ideas, and ensuring they are linked in with your business plan. Begin to arrange for your staff to be adequately coached and trained, and establish weekly operational meetings with them.
- You might even want to minimise external contacts during this time unless they are business-focused. You don't need to put in long hours but you have to show your commitment.
- At the end of three months, summarise your achievements for the CEO, note your mistakes, and re-set your aims for the next six.
You are now well on track... call +44 1799 520823 for assistance.