Some problems need a fresh perspective. An outside view. Someone who isn’t too attached to how things used to be done and is willing to challenge the status quo.
That’s often the case when a team of experts was assembled quickly, with high seniority and little oversight. This works well at an early startup, but once these experts stay for some time, the leadership gap keeps widening. Some organizations decide to promote internally; others want seasoned leaders proven elsewhere. That was the case at my second job as a Design Manager.
The team grew too big for 2 senior managers to handle, and they started hiring. I was one of a few new leaders joining the scaled-up organization to lead teams and bring change.
I have to admit, it felt easier than taking on a team of ex-peers. I had a clean slate, no need to prove myself in a different role. That being said, I still had only one chance to make a good first impression. I had roughly 100 days and the clock was ticking.
4 Challenges External Managers Face During Their Onboarding
- A gap between leadership’s vision and daily reality. Your boss and other stakeholders often have a clear idea of the situation and want the newcomer to act fast, bringing the change they want to see. Your team might have a different point of view. They tend to be more cautious or even skeptical about new initiatives as they’ve been burned before. If you don’t factor in this resistance early on, you can run into unnecessary obstacles along the way.
- Time pressure while learning the organization. A new role often starts with a bloated todo list: building or expanding a team, setting a new vision, communicating direction, and creating strategies to bring it to life. At the same time, you’re learning how the company works: its processes, culture, and typical challenges. There is a fine balance between learning and acting—tread lightly!
- Lack of an internal network. While internally promoted managers already have trusted relationships, external managers start from scratch, without knowing who has what type of influence in the organization. Building the right relationships takes time. You need to identify the key people and then develop trust with them one conversation at a time.
- Pressure from your own expectations. This one is a source of many mistakes. Moving to a new company is usually a carefully considered career step, often with a raised bar of expectations for oneself. This can lead to extra pressure to hit early targets without allowing enough time for relationship-building.
Focus On These Areas First
- Delivering impact and building trust are two sides of the same coin—treat both as equally important so you don’t miss the context of your new organization.
- Ask your manager who you need to include and keep informed as you bring changes. Keep a stakeholder map based on what they say and what you observe.
- In all your initial chats, remember the necessity of understanding before acting. Yes, they brought you here to change things, but change is never easy. Build trust so you can bring change.
- Do not shoot from the hip. Changes in leadership, especially for early-stage managers, are not sprints but rather long-distance runs. Your own pressure to prove yourself quickly might cause problems down the road.
- Avoid getting stuck with too many official responsibilities aside from what’s already in your job description. Joining committees and organizing events is fun, but let yourself settle first and prove you can pass probation.
First 100 Days Preparation
Here are a bunch of tips to guide you during your onboarding as a new manager. They are the result of my own leadership transitions but also hundreds of hours of manager coaching.
Remember, there is only one chance to make a good impression, so tread lightly and focus on the right areas during your first days. Start here:
- Expect that you will most likely be met with some skepticism and you may be seen as a threat to the status quo.
- Foster connections and build bridges so your team is not isolated from the rest of the company. That makes all future changes easier to introduce.
- Place the highest priority on developing key relationships with cross-functional peers: product with design, sales with marketing, etc.
- Listen more than you speak in your first 2 weeks of getting to know people. Make notes and pay attention.
- Avoid taking on too many goals and spreading yourself too thin.
- You are NOT the ‘knight in shining armor’ who is there to save the day, and try not to get positioned as one!
Pace yourself and do not move too quickly—external leadership transitions are a long-distance run, not a sprint. Trust is built one conversation at a time.
These tips can help you find your rhythm. If you find yourself stuck or unable to move forward, I’m here to brainstorm ideas on how to help you establish yourself as a new manager. Contact me for some collaborative decision-making!
