How to Avoid Stepping in “Stuff”: Onboarding Support for Newly Placed Managers

1. How to Avoid Stepping in “Stuff”: Onboarding Support for Newly Placed Managers Presented by Mark Elliott, President Onboarding Services

2. Alarming Failure Rates • ??%of new senior executives failed within 18 months • ??% of CEO successors left company before succession Research data published studies by Harvard Business School, Manchester Partners International, and Center for Creative Leadership

3. Too Many Newly Placed Leaders are Stepping in “Stuff”!

4. Session Objectives • Gain appreciation for the organizational problem and opportunity • Understand challenges new managers and leaders face . . . and why • Review proven onboarding process approaches and what HR/TD can and should do • Take away specific implementation actions to help new leaders succeed

5. POP QUIZ When you have selected a new manager your work is done.  True  False

6. On´bōard·ing – the proactive,extended support process by which newly placed leaders successfully transition and integrate into their new roles and organizations

7. Why Onboarding Support is Needed Research identified 1st 3-4 months as most critical time for a new leader: • Acquires organizational knowledge • Builds key relationships • Avoids missteps and mistakes • Meets expectations ...or NOT! Research data from published studies by Harvard Business School, Manchester Partners International, and Center for Creative Leadership

8. $$Organizational Cost of Failure $$ • Recruiting • Compensation • Training and development • Termination • Turnover of other staff members • Mistakes • Missed opportunities • Damaged reputation/position

9. $$Organizational Cost of Failure $$ • Recruiting • Compensation • Training and development • Termination • Turnover of other staff members • Mistakes • Missed opportunities • Damaged reputation/position

10. Why Does the Problem Exist? • Bad recruitment and promotion decisions get made • New leaders misread and misjudge the dynamics, expectations, and requirements of their new company and new role • Companies fail to provide a structured process to aid new leaders

11. Why Does the Problem Exist? • Bad recruitment and promotion decisions get made • New leaders misread and misjudge the dynamics, expectations, and requirements of their new company and new role • Companies fail to provide a structured process to aid new leaders

12. POP QUIZ A leader experienced in making transitions does not need onboarding support  True  False

13. POP QUIZ Promoting from within eliminates the need for onboarding support  True  False

14. Onboarding Realities • Myths are not understood • High expectations are everywhere • Self-confidence blinds a newly placed executive • New leader is juggling both organizational and personal transition • Confidence creates false sense of security for the boss

15. Wrong! Myths of Leadership Transition • A leader experienced in making transitions has learned how to be successful and doesn’t need support. • Promoted leaders already know the culture and have a support network. Therefore, they don’t need support. • Sink or Swim approach is effective development

16. What Goes Wrong? How a new leader steps in “stuff” • Not being clear on role, mandate, and mutual expectations • Trying to do too much, too soon; being too heroic in expectations, ending up balancing too many simultaneous initiatives • Failing to make the boss’s priorities a high priority • Misreading (or not even trying to understand) company culture and style

17. What Goes Wrong? How a new leader steps in “stuff” • Failing to understand before acting; coming in with “the answer” or jumping to it too quickly. • Mismanaging the personal transition of family and new community. • Not securing early wins; taking too long to make key changes and being sucked into the status quo.

18. Why Onboarding Support is Needed Research also identified: “Although all situations differ in their details, they all share common onboarding principles.” Research data from published studies by Harvard Business School, Manchester Partners International, and Center for Creative Leadership

19. How HR Contributesto the Problem • Failure to assure good hiring & promotion decisions • Not making the business case on costs • Not creating/providing onboarding process Source: The Conference Board Report – “Sustaining the Talent Quest”

20. The Solution Avoid Stepping in “Stuff”: Protect Your Investment • Hire or promote someone with the leadership skills to address CU’s needs; with the style to fit your culture • Attack myth-based actions • Capture that person’s potential by providing new leader onboarding support

21. On´bōard·ing – the proactive,extended support process by which newly placed leaders successfully transition and integrate into their new roles and organizations

22. Onboarding: A New Term, But Not a New Topic • In the past 25 years dozens of books and research reports have been published on leadership Transition, Assimilation, and Integration • You’re In Charge—Now What? – 2005 • The First 90 Days –2003 • Assimilating New Leaders – 2001 • Right From the Start – 1999 • Preventing Derailment – 1995 • Organizational Entry and Assimilation – 1987 • The Dynamics of Taking Charge – 1987 • When a New Manager Takes Charge – 1985 • Why and How Successful Executives Get Derailed – 1983

23. The goal of onboarding is the acceleration of the newly placed leader’s effectiveness and contribution The Solution

24. The goal of onboarding is the acceleration of the newly placed leader’s effectiveness and contribution and avoiding the organizational risk of failure The Solution

25. POP QUIZ Most CUs provide more orientation, training, and support to new tellers than they do to newly placed leaders.  True  False

26. The Solution Provide 3-4 months of support to prevent what goes wrong . . . and stepping in “stuff” Areas of Focus: • Acquiring organizational knowledge • Identifying key stakeholders & building relationships • Avoiding missteps and mistakes • Achieving early performance expectations

27. Sports Model Components:

28. Comprehensive Support Process Onboarding Components: • Process Map • Specialized Coaching Tools • Leadership Skills Development • Practice with Actual Work Situations

29. Onboarding Process Map (A partial list of linear steps) • Clarify your role and agree with boss on expectations • Gather information and develop insight into organization dynamics • Identify a few significant early wins to create momentum • Build relationships with key stakeholders • Begin to build your high-performance team • Develop your 90-Day Plan Pre-Start Start Three-Months Six-Months

30. Coaching Tool: New Leader’s Onboarding Start To-Do’s • Don’t act like you know everything • Ask questions instead of giving answers • Learn the leadership practices and culture • Identify and develop key relationships • Make your boss’s priorities your priority • Set reasonable expectations • Go SLOW! So you can go fast

31. Coaching Tool: Boss’s To-Do’s in Support of New Leader • Provide counsel on leadership practices and culture • Develop “How-To-Manage-Me” guide • Assist new leader with the development of his/her 30- and 90-day plans • Encourage/support reasonable expectations • Give continuing priority (4-6 mos.) to the onboarding process

32. Leadership Skills Development • The interpersonal and process skills critical to onboarding success • Managing the boss relationship • Getting-started communications • Developing a high-performance team • Win/win negotiation and problem solving • Introducing change • Coaching for improved performance

33. Benefits of Comprehensive Onboarding Process • Positions new leaders for success • Accelerates learning, performance, and impact • Prevents avoidable management turnover and related costs • Enhances ability to manage business challenges and capitalize on business opportunities Avoids stepping in "stuff"

34. Contact Mark Elliott: melliott@onboardingservices.com www.powerstartonboarding.com