REFLECTION
Taking Charge In A New Leadership Role
By Fawzia Ali-Kimanthi
August 2015 was a pivotal point in my career . It was a period of transition and transformation to a level that I did not realize at the time . I had just been appointed into a General Management Role for a Region , away from Nairobi . This was a shift from my area of expertise which is finance . The purpose of the role was to provide leadership to a cross functional team of experienced leaders in order to deliver growth in customer experience , growth in performance and staff engagement in a period of significant change .
This new role meant transitioning from Nairobi to the Coast - changing house , changing school , a new way of life . I must admit transitioning in itself was more difficult that I thought . The change for my family was significant and not an immediate point of celebration . I immediately realized I needed help if I was to perform at work and provide a nice environment for my family to thrive . I engaged a coach who walked me through managing transitions and driving change and results .
Recently a mentor gave me a book , which I wish I had when I was making this transition . It was quite refreshing reading ; it had many points of personal connection and reflection . It highlights the challenges new leaders face and gives proposals on how to manage the transition and thrive .
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Visioning creates a clear image for the organization as to where the organization will be striving to transform to . This is why new leaders develop a new strategy that hopefully inspires and provides a clear path for 3-5 years . This clarity makes it easier for teams to rally behind the vision and for it to be realized once it is understood .
Dan Ciampa and Michel Watkins in their book recognize that managing leadership transitions requires guidance . In their book Right from the Start , Taking charge in a new leadership role , they provide a framework that I find very useful .
In the book they provide three core tasks that a new leader must focus on . It is tempting when you get a new role to want to fix everything and focus on short term gains without taking time to understand what fundamental shifts are needed to make lasting change . This is where the book is a gem . It narrows the core tasks of a new leader to three : Creating momentum ; Mastering visioning , technologies of learning and coalition building ; and Managing Self .
Creating Momentum
Dan Ciampa and Michel Watkins in the book call this point out in a plain and simple way . By the end of the first six months on the job , new leaders must have begun to create momentum . The question is how do we know that we are creating momentum ? The book guides that a new leader will know they are creating momentum when :
• They have found solutions in a few areas that were hindering growth for example if there is a process that needed investment to digitize and with this , shift customer experience and team performance , then this investment becomes a critical item that needs prioritization .
• They lay a foundation for deeper cultural change – this could be introducing a new execution model that breaks silos and allows cross functional teams to thrive and deliver results . It is said that 70 % of culture is determined by leaders . So it is not surprising that creating a cultural shift for great momentum is key .
• They build credibility with bosses , subordinates , employees , and the Board . This goes without saying .
Visioning And Coalition Building
When a new leader arrives in an organization , there is uncertainty . This is expected . Visioning creates a clear image for the organization as to where the organization will be striving to transform to . This is why new leaders develop a new strategy that
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