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Stories in this issue: |
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Top talent: The bottom line Ten ideas for real recognition Playing by the rules Make compliance work for you Only the best Avoid the quick win quagmire |
| Avoid the quick win quagmire |
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New leaders know they must prove themselves right out of the gate. According to a study of more than 5,400 new leaders by the Harvard Business Review, new leaders who pursue quick wins (fresh, visible contributions to the business) often fall into traps that undermine success. For example, a new leader might:
By contrast, the leaders who thrived in their new roles shared not only a strong focus on results, but also excellent change-management skills. They communicated a clear vision, developed constructive relationships, and built team capabilities. They seemed to realize that the lasting value of their accomplishment would be the way they managed their teams through the transition. Collective quick wins established credibility and prepared them to lead their teams to harder-won victories. To escape quick win traps, resist any urge to ride roughshod over others to prove your mettle. Instead, pursue collective quick wins: measurable business accomplishments (cost reduction, revenue growth) enabled by substantive contributions from your employees. And avoid these five pitfalls that trap more than 60% of underperforming new leaders. Focusing too heavily on details Leaders may try to ace one component of the new job and, as a result, pay insufficient attention to their broader responsibilities. Reacting negatively to criticism Some leaders intent on change view any criticism as resistance to their ideas. They may retaliate or fail to use the feedback to improve weak areas. Intimidating others Highly ambitious and convinced of their capabilities, leaders can be highly intimidating to those around them. Confident in their plans, they can mistake employees' compliance for agreement and endorsement. Jumping to conclusions Leaders may arrive in their new role with solutions already formulated instead of engaging others in the solutions' design. They risk making serious mistakes. Micromanaging New leaders may meddle in work they should trust others to do. This demotivates employees. Score Collective Quick Wins With members of your team, brainstorm possible accomplishments that would: To succeed in their new positions, leaders must realize that the teams they have inherited are also experiencing change. Instead of focusing on an individual accomplishment, leaders need to work with team members on a collective quick win. And when grooming new leaders, don’t just shore up their domain knowledge and technical skills; help them develop the change-management skills they will need as they settle in with their new teams. Source: Harvard Business Review, January, 2009
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