As a leader who is new-in-role, there’s big pressure to come in and make a positive impact on the business in a relatively short space of time. If you’re new to the company as well as the role, there’s a double whammy. You’re the new kind on the block, with no (or minimum) internal relationships in place. You have a huge learning curve to get on top of and expectations are high. When you’ve been promoted from within, you still have big mountains to climb and although the core challenges may be a little different, they can still be as daunting and keep you up at night.
As I mentioned in my previous blog , your first 100 days can positively or negatively impact your career big picture and that’s why this time is so important to get right. If you smash it, it’s likely you’ll get promoted quicker and join the leadership career fast track that brings with it numerous opportunities to grow and succeed.
The First 100 Days Capitaliser programme gives a strategic, systematic and planned framework to set you up for accelerated success. My programme is made of four aspects:
· #prep
· #first30
· #first60
· #first100
The programme’s tagline for #prep (ie. before you start your role) is ‘New Role, New Mindset’ and ultimately is about you consciously letting go of your old role, promoting yourself into the new one and visioning the type of credible leader you want to be perceived as when you nail your first 100 days.
The tagline for #first30 is ‘Accelerated Learner, Strategic Formulator’. What you’re aiming for in your first 30 days is a systematic way of learning at pace; starting to build strategic relationships by effectively stakeholder mapping; and being able to tactically and strategically formulate as you go. It’s also the time to identify your priority areas and start to build your granular action plan.
Strategic Formulator, Tactical Deliverer is the tagline for #first60. During the next 30 days, you’re continuing to formulate in your mind the approach to your strategy; you’re also taking all your key insights and learnings from your first 30 days to identify one, two or three quick wins you can deliver which will build your credibility and momentum. You’ll also be evolving your action plan.
The fourth aspect of this programme is #first100 and has the tagline Strategic Deliverer. This is about you co-creating your strategy; using your strategic partnerships and relationships to ensure it is at its best; and getting the crucial buy-in you’ll need when you ultimately present it to the top team for sign off. Delivering a strategy that aligns to the organisation’s purpose, vision and strategy and demonstrates the added value that you and your team are going to make to the bigger picture, will demonstrate that you are a the right strategic, credible leader for the role.
Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll do a blog on each aspect of the First 100 Days Capitalise programme, to give some further guidance and insight to help you as a leader nail your first 100 days. In the meantime, if you’d like to download the checklist, please go to my website and the freebie section.