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Tips for the New CEO/General Manager
Taking on a ceo or general manager job is different than other managerial
transitions….in your previous job you were working in a business or technical
function you were familiar with. Now, you are overseeing a broader enterprise
with functions, processes, and technologies that are unfamiliar…..in addition
you are likely dealing with strategy, investor relations and a new level of
enterprise public relations. And on top of that….you are aware everyone in the
company is watching you and taking their cues from your behavior, your
attitudes and even your values…..WHO you are is the foundation of your
business’s unique culture.
While the above may sound daunting, you are in your new role precisely
because you have shown the wherewithal to successfully lead in your new role….
that is why you were promoted and/or that is why your financial investors have
backed you.
Advice:
Meetings
You will need to set up a pattern….how many meetings, with whom, on what
topics and most importantly, what is your style (domineering, structured,
collaborative etc). There is no right answer. I have seen successful ceo’s and
general managers with widely divergent approaches to meetings and
communication.
Tip: trust your instincts and do what you sense is right. Tip 2: you will need to
adjust what you have done before so pay attention to what is working and what
isn’t and make adjustments….after a month or two ask your direct reports what
they think…..they will tell you what they want and what they think the
organization needs in terms of leadership and communication.
Dealing with your direct reports
Your direct reports will likely be jockeying for influence with you to a degree that
is different than you have previously experienced. This is a good thing and this
is a result of the power and influence you have in your new role and the desire
of subordinates to help you guide the enterprise successfully and acquire
enhanced power and influence themselves. Your direct reports will have
different natural inclinations to participate in this.
Tip one: solicit input from your direct report who is LEAST interested in playing
up to you!....as that person’s input is least likely to be unduly influenced by
ulterior motives (they have the ego, self assurance or whatever to not sorely
need your attention or approval).
You will likely find your new role a tad lonely as you don’t have peers to readily
associate with (you can gain this through outside associations, but this takes
some time and effort to develop and cultivate). So you may find it tempting to
spend a good deal of time with one or two subordinates.
Tip 2: make sure you judiciously spend some time with all of your subordinates
and don’t overly associate with any single subordinate.
Tip 3: Use your board. Generally you will want to give your board confidence
that you are in control of your enterprise and that they as investors are in good
hands. But your board should have members with broad coverage in terms of
expertise and experience. Develop of the practice of occasionally having a
lunch or dinner or phone chat with each of your board members…..then when
you really need some advice and guidance on a thorny issue you will have
established the foundation for soliciting their advice and counsel.
Use of Consultants
Consultants can bring world class outside expertise and experience into your
organization. Use them, but use them judiciously.
Tip 1: good consultants have finely honed skills for selling you (and your
functional leaders) add on assignments….the more senior your consultant the
more skilled he will be in getting you to spend more money on his firm’s
services. Beware of this….consultants can become barnacles on your
organization that hinder your success.
Is there a topic you'd like us to comment on? Let us know!
Pivot Consulting
A useful option: Pivot Consulting provides an inexpensive and low key option for
helping you in your new role. We will come in for a day or two and meet with you
and your direct reports to assess the organization. The process is:
1. Meet with you to discuss your organization and what is on your mind.
2. Meet with each of your direct reports to discuss their observations on a wide
range of organizational topics with the understanding that their input will be “not
for attribution” but will be incorporated into feedback to you. With an
experienced and competent consultant this means your direct reports will give
the consultant direct and insightful input they cannot give to you in a direct way.
3. We meet with you at the end of the day and provide you with feedback on
your organization. We guarantee this process will deepen your understanding
of your organization, help you adjust your priorities and help you enhance your
leadership of the organization.
Taking on a ceo or general manager job is different than other managerial
transitions….in your previous job you were working in a business or technical
function you were familiar with. Now, you are overseeing a broader enterprise
with functions, processes, and technologies that are unfamiliar…..in addition
you are likely dealing with strategy, investor relations and a new level of
enterprise public relations. And on top of that….you are aware everyone in the
company is watching you and taking their cues from your behavior, your
attitudes and even your values…..WHO you are is the foundation of your
business’s unique culture.
While the above may sound daunting, you are in your new role precisely
because you have shown the wherewithal to successfully lead in your new role….
that is why you were promoted and/or that is why your financial investors have
backed you.
Advice:
Meetings
You will need to set up a pattern….how many meetings, with whom, on what
topics and most importantly, what is your style (domineering, structured,
collaborative etc). There is no right answer. I have seen successful ceo’s and
general managers with widely divergent approaches to meetings and
communication.
Tip: trust your instincts and do what you sense is right. Tip 2: you will need to
adjust what you have done before so pay attention to what is working and what
isn’t and make adjustments….after a month or two ask your direct reports what
they think…..they will tell you what they want and what they think the
organization needs in terms of leadership and communication.
Dealing with your direct reports
Your direct reports will likely be jockeying for influence with you to a degree that
is different than you have previously experienced. This is a good thing and this
is a result of the power and influence you have in your new role and the desire
of subordinates to help you guide the enterprise successfully and acquire
enhanced power and influence themselves. Your direct reports will have
different natural inclinations to participate in this.
Tip one: solicit input from your direct report who is LEAST interested in playing
up to you!....as that person’s input is least likely to be unduly influenced by
ulterior motives (they have the ego, self assurance or whatever to not sorely
need your attention or approval).
You will likely find your new role a tad lonely as you don’t have peers to readily
associate with (you can gain this through outside associations, but this takes
some time and effort to develop and cultivate). So you may find it tempting to
spend a good deal of time with one or two subordinates.
Tip 2: make sure you judiciously spend some time with all of your subordinates
and don’t overly associate with any single subordinate.
Tip 3: Use your board. Generally you will want to give your board confidence
that you are in control of your enterprise and that they as investors are in good
hands. But your board should have members with broad coverage in terms of
expertise and experience. Develop of the practice of occasionally having a
lunch or dinner or phone chat with each of your board members…..then when
you really need some advice and guidance on a thorny issue you will have
established the foundation for soliciting their advice and counsel.
Use of Consultants
Consultants can bring world class outside expertise and experience into your
organization. Use them, but use them judiciously.
Tip 1: good consultants have finely honed skills for selling you (and your
functional leaders) add on assignments….the more senior your consultant the
more skilled he will be in getting you to spend more money on his firm’s
services. Beware of this….consultants can become barnacles on your
organization that hinder your success.
Is there a topic you'd like us to comment on? Let us know!
Pivot Consulting
A useful option: Pivot Consulting provides an inexpensive and low key option for
helping you in your new role. We will come in for a day or two and meet with you
and your direct reports to assess the organization. The process is:
1. Meet with you to discuss your organization and what is on your mind.
2. Meet with each of your direct reports to discuss their observations on a wide
range of organizational topics with the understanding that their input will be “not
for attribution” but will be incorporated into feedback to you. With an
experienced and competent consultant this means your direct reports will give
the consultant direct and insightful input they cannot give to you in a direct way.
3. We meet with you at the end of the day and provide you with feedback on
your organization. We guarantee this process will deepen your understanding
of your organization, help you adjust your priorities and help you enhance your
leadership of the organization.
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