We just hired an all-star exec. How do I get him up to speed and give him room to run on his own?

After an intensive search process, we found the perfect candidate for an important role and hired him. How do I give him room to get up to speed and stay on top of things to make sure he delivers what’s needed?

-Senior Exec at a tech company

Dear Senior Exec,

Congrats on your new hire. Success here comes down to alignment. You have to agree that what he’s working on is what you believe he should be working on.

Getting to clarity on near-term imperatives is key. He may or may not know the most important and immediate initiatives. Be very clear on what needs to happen when and make sure he’s aware of his role in seeing them though.

I assume that a hire of this level is a seasoned executive with a lot of experience. That also means he’s likely used to doing things a certain way. If you’re looking for things to be done in a specific way, give guidance and share examples of what has worked. That may help illuminate a path for him to follow.

In all cases, let him get to know the company, team, and customers and allow him time to form an opinion of what needs to be done and by when. Give him access and opportunity to learn. Encourage him to go on a listening tour.

Check in with him and provide advice when necessary. It would be especially useful to give him guidance on the company culture. No matter how good someone is, people who have been at the company can become set in their ways and may have a problem accepting new people and new styles of leadership. Work with your new hire and the team to keep communication open and avoid the organizational organ rejection that can sometimes happen. ?

Finally, find out what motivates the new executive. Compensation is always a part of this, but it’s a small part at this level. It’s also measured in job satisfaction. Make sure that he’s engaged and challenged. (When people are not challenged, they have time to lift their head and see what else is out there. You don’t want that!)?

This is a relationship that will be built one step at a time and over time. Success too will be measured over time. (Think quarters, not days and weeks.) And keep in mind that it can be a delicate dance: you don’t want to be so overbearing that it stifles him, but you need to continue making positive strides forward, which requires frequent check-in points. Even when things are going smoothly don’t assume everything is perfect, stay in contact.

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