CEO Toolkit: Slow Down to Speed Up in Your New Role
I’ve been working closely with some truly amazing clients. They include CEOs and other top executives taking on big new roles. Getting their footing in new organizations. Establishing their vision, demonstrating their value. Navigating change. Driving innovation. Guiding their companies to growth. Building vital relationships that will make or break their ability to succeed.
All quite challenging, to be sure, under “normal” conditions. But conditions are no longer normal. We are months into the COVID-19 pandemic and still adapting to meaningful changes in our daily interactions… contending with a host of crises that impact the way we operate our businesses and live our lives.
We have been forced to slow down in some ways and speed up in others.
As a leader in a new role, facing real pressure to prove your worth, you may be inclined to move fast—to make quick decisions and take immediate action. And there’s no doubt, speed matters. Others are judging what you do… and looking for rapid results.
But before making decisions that will have lasting and potentially unforeseen implications, I’d advise you to take a strategic pause, a deliberate slowdown in the pace of your decision-making, just long enough to carefully review and assess your situation. Consider:
How well do you really know the business you’ve taken on?
Do you have full understanding of organization’s history—beyond the most apparent successes and failures?
Do you understand the nuances and impacts of the company’s culture?
What has been the impact of various leadership changes?
What have been the missed opportunities?
Who are your superstars?
Who or what may slow you down?
What are the underutilized strengths of the organization?
And where are the subtle but meaningful risks?
Take your time. Focus on learning the business and getting to know your people. Ask questions. Lots of them. Dig deeper. Let your employees see you, hear from you, get to know who you are, what you bring, and what you expect. Share your genuine enthusiasm. Be candid about the challenges that lie ahead. Invite honesty and provide opportunities to share insights, suggestions, and concerns.
You’ll need to get creative in the ways you connect with your employees, given the challenges of the pandemic. Although meeting people face-to-face is ideal, it won’t be possible to see everyone or visit every site as quickly as you’d like. In the meantime, set up video chats with people at various levels of the organization. Send emails to share information and let people “hear your voice.” Record a series of video messages that can be accessed at your employees’ convenience.
And don’t delay in bringing your leadership team together. Do it in whichever way is feasible under current circumstances. By video chat. In an outdoor venue. In a spacious backyard. Following whichever safety protocols make sense… It can be done. In fact, I’ve been helping a number of my clients bring their teams together to accelerate team cohesiveness, advance the relationships, improve communication, accelerate decision-making, drive alignment, dive into the strategy, and more.
The fact is, becoming a CEO or taking on any new business challenge requires an abundance of thought, strategy, and attention. Slow down long enough to get this part right… and, I can assure you, the rest will follow.
Four Ways I Can Help You Right Away
If you’d like my help in navigating today’s challenges and setting course for tomorrow, send me an email or give me a call. Together, we can explore ways to improve and dramatically accelerate your results.
Some of my latest offerings include:
1.Strategic Advisor to the CEO and Executive Team. If you’d like an objective thought partner with whom you can discuss matters of leadership, strategy, team dynamics, and leading through change, you’ll want to consider this approach. You’ll have me on speed dial to discuss opportunities and challenges in real time—to make your best decisions today and thoughtfully strategize for tomorrow.
2.Slow Down to Speed Up® Toolkit. It’s never been more important to equip your team with the right tools for performance. I will work directly with your team, using my proprietary approach, and provide them with a pragmatic framework to enhance decision-making, collaboration, delegation, communication, and prioritization. With the Slow Down to Speed Up® toolkit at their disposal, your group will perform better, lead with confidence, and drive better business outcomes.
3.Sentient Strategy®. I will work closely with you and your team to develop the kind of strategy that meets today’s challenges head-on, while creating meaningful progress toward realizing your vision. Over the course of a full-day session (with a bit of targeted pre- and post-work), or two half-day remote sessions, we will pinpoint your top three growth drivers and put them to the test. Accountability for implementation is a key part of the process.
4.Slow Down to Speed Up® Briefings for New Leaders. I have to give credit to one of my favorite clients for this great idea. After I provided two keynote addresses for the Northrop Grumman Management Club, they told me they’d decided to host a five-week book club featuring Slow Down to Speed Up: Lead, Succeed, and Thrive in a 24/7 World. It was a creative, engaging, high impact way to provide their people with my SDTSU tools for success. I can help you do the same for your organization.
To your continued health, wellness, and steadfast leadership.
Dr. Liz
