Onboarding & Integration
The appointment of any leader to a new role is a decisive moment in both the executive’s life and that of the organisation. Yet while great energy and attention is often given to the selection of that leader in terms of the search process, there is another element to the appointment that, in our view, is equally important: making sure the leader is well prepared for success.
Helping incoming and newly promoted executives to succeed
In the – not infrequent – cases where a C-level hire does not work out, it is often not because of an error of recruitment but due to issues that arise in the first six months of tenure. These can include:
- Inadequate preparation
- Cultural misunderstandings
- Lack of contextual awareness
- Misjudgement of internal politics
- Lack of executive committee knowledge
The first three to six months are therefore critical for the success or failure of a new hire no matter how experienced the new leader might be. An organisation must therefore devote significant attention to the transition of that new leader, regardless of whether he or she is an internal or external hire. It is even more important when the new leader is the first external CEO in a family-owned enterprise, or it is the executive’s first time working for a family business or private equity investor.
Integration is even more important for CEOs and CXOs
The more senior the role, the more important an integration programme is. And for a new CEO, we believe it is a pre-requisite. Especially in difficult and challenging situations, such as in an economic downturn or a pandemic, new CEOs will have even less time to prove themselves and build trust. A planned and active integration programme should begin early (before the start date) and continue through the first six months. It thereby provides critical and timely support, and ensures the new CEO lands well, building trust, demonstrating quick wins, and setting the right priorities.
Interested?
If these themes align with your current priorities, we would welcome a conversation.
In a confidential introductory call, we focus on understanding your situation and objectives, and on determining whether we can add value.
