The first months of an executive’s new job are critical
Some time ago I read the book “The first 90 days” of Michael D. Watkins, where is pointed out that as an executive you have 90 days to prove that you are an asset to the company. It is a useful book filled with advice for anyone assuming a leadership position. It’s filled with reminders that winning the trust and respect of your cohorts is a learning process that you should begin with great intensity.
With the right onboarding and integration process, you can avoid the early missteps that make for short tenures, why?
Sedna Executive Search is aware that these first months at a new company of the executive are crucial and offers therefore a special onboarding service. This service picks up where the executive search process ends and helps organizations to integrate new executives in a more structured and effective way. Focusing on the early stages of an executive’s tenure, we reduce the time it takes for him or her to start making a meaningful impact and maximize the leader’s personal engagement with the organization and brand. We accelerate the assimilation of new hires and promoted employees, allowing them to make value-adding contributions sooner. It enables new hires to fully integrate into the enterprise culture and protect investment, minimizing the risk of new recruits departing prematurely.
Rapid Impact Coaching: our methodology at a glance
Sedna’s rapid impact coaching process has been shown to be an effective and valuable method for creatively exploring innovative solutions to leadership challenges across a large variety of onboarding situations. And it can be divided into 4 phases: Assessment, Challenge, Growth and Results.
Assessment Phase
Through interviews with key stakeholders, validation of organisational and leadership goals as well as possible professional development assessments, this phase yields a unique set of leadership attributes that fit the organisation’s needs. Furthermore, it raises the executive’s self-awareness and helps define focused goals. Upon completion, the client is ready for change and is clear on the contracted desired outcomes and measures of success (ROI) that the coaching intervention aims for.
Design Phase
Who can observe and assess the client’s results and changes? The coach and client structure a development team composed of “Key Development Champions”: internal and external stakeholders who stand to benefit from the leader’s rapid impact, are truly committed to it and willing to provide relevant feedback to the client during the coaching intervention. This selection ensures that the process is focused, assessable and systemic.
Growth Phase
What actions and feedback will get the client to his or her goals? By means of a series of coaching conversations, this phase of the process helps the client take action and further their learning. Along the way, we continually define alternatives and action steps to reinforce our practice and keep improving. Besides the coaching, the coach and client may also agree upon ad hoc training or other forms of support at this time. While the Key Development Champions evaluate progress, the coach and executive keep an eye on skill building, increased knowledge and use their time to review the insights produced by the client’s experiences.
Results Phase
Have the client’s rapid impact goals been reached? This crucial question warrants measurable progress and accountability as produces during this phase. Coach and client collect feedback and may decide to repeat any original leadership assessment that was carried out. At times, this is delayed for a period of possibly 3 months in order to assess the sustainability of early successes and diminish the chance of “slip back”. By the end of this final phase, coach and client review, qualify and quantify personal growth that occurred over the coaching intervention period and define further opportunities for continued development
For more information, feel free to contact us!
Allard de Jong, Head Coach and Martin Poppe, Founder and Managing Partner, Sedna Executive Search, 22 March 2018. www.sednaexecutivesearch.com
