A crucial time in the life of the leader is when they have transitioned to a new role.
A popular idea that has emerged in recent times has been the idea of the first 100 days.
The first hundred days has become a measuring stick for how successful a President would be. We know that it is not just how well a leader starts in their new role that matters but what they do through their tenure. But the first 100 days is an excellent way to think and frame a leaders foray into a new position.
The term the ‘First 100 days’ came into our vocabulary from a radio address from the American President Franklin J. Roosevelt on July 24th, 1933. Roosevelt came into the Presidency taken over a nation reeling from the effects of the great depression.
The stock market had dropped 85%, and banks had collapsed throughout America. Those banks that remained were teetering on collapse. People lost their jobs, life savings and farms foreclosed. Unemployment was running at around 25%. Men queued in food queues for a bit of bread and soup. The moral of the Nation was at an all-time low.
FDR made his first 100 days count. Here are ten tips for how to embrace your new role and make the most of the first 100 days.
1) Set the right tone
Tone setting is one of the greatest things you can do at the start of your new tenure.
FDR his opening address instils in the despondent crowd hope and courage. He also outlines what they can expect from him as a leader. Here are his opening lines.
“I am certain that my fellow Americans expect that on my induction into the Presidency I will address them with a candor and a decision which the present situation of our Nation impels. This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself–nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyses needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory.”
2) Understand the purpose of being hired
It might not be as evident as it appears. Chances are it might not have been explicitly stated in the interview process. But this is crucial for your success. Who hired you, and why did they choose you? Is it to bring change? Steady the ship? Disrupt? Restructure? Improve the numbers? Pioneer? Develop new markets? Turn it around? Improve culture? Develop talent? You might meet your KPI’s and still miss the mark if you do not understand this.
3) Survey the walls
There is an old Hebrew bible story about Nehemiah, a high Jewish official in the Persian courts who pulls together a working party to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem in 5 BC. When he arrives at the site rather than getting straight down to business he spends time at night walking around the walls and surveying the damage.
Whether you believe the integrity of the account does not matter as much as the principle. Check things out with your own eyes, do not depend on reports alone. Don’t assume. Get to the front line. Get past the gatekeepers and middle managers and listen to those doing the work. If your business is in manufacturing, see your factories and talk to those on the shop floor. If it is in retail, get out to your regional stores. Listen to those most distant from your senior leadership team, your contact centre staff, sales staff, get out and about and listen.
Do staff surveys, set up an email for honest feedback.
One of the frameworks for examining the work is to use the KISS model.
Keep – What do we need to keep doing? In other words, what is already working well?
Improve – What needs tweaking? Perhaps it’s already good but could be significant and needs more heat.
Stop – What isn’t working? What might need killing off?
Start – What are some things we could add?
4) Connect with your team
Be humble. This team have done some mileage for this organisation. They could be your greatest asset or your worst nightmare, depending on how you build. You need them, their insights and talents. You need them on board with you. They need to hear your heart. Set up regular meetings with them, take them out for coffee one on ones or take them on trips with you. The informal interactions matter as much, perhaps even more than the formal.
They need to know that you are safe, trustworthy and competent.
5) Set the Culture
From day one, you get to set the culture. Culture takes time. You can’t administer your way into a new culture; it has to be lead. You lead people into a new culture. It is primarily transmitted through relationship. You set the culture you want with your senior team. You model it to them. They then model it to their teams, so on and so forth. It’s not rocket science, but it does take time, and it does take being intentional and consistent.
6) Strategically Renovate
When you have done your homework, you will become aware of the things that need changing. I have four pieces of advice on this.
1 – Do the easy stuff that affects most people as quickly as you can. Get some early feel-good wins under your belt.
2 – Do the tough hidden stuff that is vital for the long term success of the organisation. It isn’t sexy, but it is essential, and if you do it right, it will set the organisation up for years to come. You will know what this is. It will be your most challenging but satisfying work and will be the thing in later years that you will be most proud.
3 – Renovate the other rooms, one at a time. Strategically you will know which ones matter first.
7) Strategically ignore
Listen, take note, but act on strategic priorities, not on pressure. Often in renovation work, there will be a lot of advocacy and a lot of noise. The loudest does not always mean it should be first. Good leaders are comfortable with things being messy on the margins. Sometimes the best strategy is to open the room, take a good look, acknowledge what needs doing, and then shut the door until you are ready to fix it.
8) Start to build your team for the future
At some point in the first 100 days, it will become apparent to you that there are some missing skillsets and human talent in your group. You will, in this phase, begin to headhunt and recruit additional expertise to help your organisation go to the next level. Bringing new talent onboard is crucial but also has a measure of risk in the early stages of your tenure. These five ‘C’s’ should help you hire wisely.
Cultural Fit – They will not only fit in but will amplify the culture you are trying to build.
Competence – They will have both technical expertise and soft skills to get the job done well.
Character – They are trustworthy.
Chemistry – They are likeable and more importantly, you like them.
Capacity – They have the required energy this next season will need.
9) Communicate often and be visible
All leaders should be visible and communicate frequently and in times of transition even more.
Have a communication strategy that ensures your voice and visibility reaches the far corners of the organisation. Ensure you communicate directly, and staff can communicate to you directly without gatekeepers or fear.
Listening will be your greatest asset in the first 100 days and information, your best ally.
Don’t resent meetings, you should have lots of them in your first 100 days, and they will be a part of your new reality. Meetings are the work of leadership. They are essential for decision making, communicating, brainstorming, transmitting culture and information sharing.
10) Set the pace
In his first 100 days of office, President Roosevelt urgently passed 15 pieces of legislation to help America recover from the great depression. He set a blistering pace.
You, as the leader, need to keep an eye on the pace you set. Over time there will be times to sprint, times to jog, times to catch one’s breath. You will get a feel for the speed that is required, but in the first 100 days, you want to set a pace which has some quickness.
G. M Brock © 2020
Graeme M. Brock is Director of Just Leadership a New Zealand based leadership development company which offers bespoke leadership training solutions and consultancy for organisations and executive coaching for individuals. justleadership.co.nz You can reach out to him at [email protected]
