Against The Odds: How to Thrive in Your New Role

Your LinkedIn feed is abuzz with announcements of individuals stepping into new roles, but amidst the excitement lies a stark reality: 40% of new leaders find themselves ushered out the door within a mere 18 months, a costly misstep for leaders and hiring companies.

How can both organizations and incoming leaders work together to address it?

Drawing insights from executive recruiters, coaches, and transitioning leaders, these are the key reason's leaders struggle:

1. Mastering the Soft Stuff: Egon Zehnder's survey of 588 newly hired executives reveals a striking trend—70% of their biggest challenges stem from grappling with organizational norms, practices, and culture, overshadowing issues related to strategy or hard skills, which accounted for a mere 30%. A similar narrative unfolds in the realm of professional Football, where inadequate socialization stands out as a leading cause of high-profile transfer failures.
2. Patience Pays Dividends: While the eagerness to earn trust and instill confidence among stakeholders is understandable, hastily rushing into critical decisions can prove detrimental. As Sabina Nawaz aptly notes in HBR, new hires can significantly boost their chances of success by steering clear of common pitfalls and dedicating ample time to familiarizing themselves with the organization and its people before taking action.
3. Mind the Skill Gap: It's inevitable that new leaders will encounter unfamiliar terrain demanding skills they may lack. Recognizing and addressing these skill gaps promptly is paramount. Whether through upskilling efforts or leveraging support from team members or peers, proactive measures are key to navigating these challenges effectively.

Leaders and hiring entities can adopt the following principles

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1. Embrace a 70/30 Approach: Crafting a comprehensive 90-day plan is crucial, but prioritize immersing yourself in understanding the people, norms, and culture of the organization. Strike a delicate balance between internal and external stakeholder engagements, resisting the urge to make sweeping strategic or personnel decisions prematurely.
2. Swiftly Remedy Blind Spots: Confronted with skill gaps, refrain from succumbing to panic. Instead, flag these deficiencies and explore avenues to either develop requisite skills or enlist support from colleagues or mentors.
3. Cultivate an Integration Squad: Embrace vulnerability as you forge connections with new colleagues, inviting them to join your "Integration Squad." Foster open dialogue and transparency about your journey, leveraging their support as a valuable resource. Consider engaging external coaching services to provide an impartial sounding board during this critical phase, facilitating rapid feedback loops from stakeholders. Organizations that offer external support to new hires witness a twofold increase in success rates.

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The harsh reality is that many new leaders find themselves set up for failure. However, armed with an understanding of potential pitfalls and a proactive approach to addressing them, you can defy the odds and position yourself for resounding success.

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