Moving into a new position is a delicate phase for a manager. In a matter of a few weeks, you need to discover a new context, establish new relations and build credibility. And the traps are many! How to manage this race against time?
Beware of your perceived strengths
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Learning must be your absolute priority. It’s a completely new context that you need to apprehend.
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Don’t overestimate your skills, e.g. Is your technical expertise such an asset in this context? Wouldn’t developing that of your team be more important?
Meet all the major stakeholders
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Rapidly engage in a thorough dialogue with your superiors, e.g. Have them articulate their own challenges, their expectations of you in addition to those in your job description, and the latitude you have.
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Set up a series of meetings with all your team members as well as other close stakeholders, e.g. Have lunch with your predecessor, meet your peers, plan on-site visits.
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Try to “decode” the dynamics of your new structure, e.g. Who often has the last word? Who is most likely to advance a new project?
Move rapidly into gear
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Identify the main expectations from your work environment: this will enable you to better target your first moves and establish your learning curve.
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Identify potential “quick wins” that will create a good impression from the start, e.g. Moving a project forward that created frustration for your team and thus establishing your credibility.
Take action
Rapidly schedule meetings with a few key stakeholders (10 min)
These meetings will enable you to build as complete an image as possible of your job.
Mix the profiles: your manager and your direct reports of course, but also the most influent managers of other entities. Plan site visits, ensuring you integrate the most “vocal” elements, often an excellent source of inspiration. Finally, don’t forget to include the partners, suppliers or clients, for their outside observations.
Prepare a few key questions that you will include in every meeting to compare the responses from the different persons you meet. E.g.: How do they perceive your stakes in the new position? How will they know you have succeeded in three months, one year or three years? What are the main obstacles and challenges you will face? Your success depends on whom?
Look back at your strengths: are they still relevant? (15 min)
What made you successful in your previous position might not be what is expected of you now.
Ask yourself: for which qualities and competences do you think you got this position? How do you foresee taking advantage of these strengths? Are the actions that you thus envisage in phase with your new priorities? Are the conditions for success present?
Consult with your manager, your colleagues and your predecessor: in their opinion, what are the necessary qualities for success in your position? Are there other competences you should develop rather than banking mostly on your existing strengths?
Identify potential quick wins: on what will you be judged? (10 min)
Your first successes will establish your credibility and facilitate your subsequent actions.
Among your priorities, which are likely to have a rapid visible impact? Can you split them into different steps to score points by celebrating a first milestone?
Classify your objectives by level of importance, and also by ease of execution. You might gain from launching some initiatives with moderate stakes, but that can produce rapid results.
During your exchanges with your direct line manager, colleagues and team members, have you identified “irritating factors” that you could easily side track? E.g.: reorganize the workspace to facilitate collaboration; suppress reporting processes that have become useless.
Practical Tips
> Calendar for a successful job transition
> Five classic mistakes in job transitions
Find out more
> Manage the dilemmas of job transition
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