Building Credibility Is The Key To Getting A Fast Start In Your New Role!

In a weak economy in particular, the process for getting a new job is rigorous and challenging. What is sometimes neglected in that process is the critical last step -- getting a fast start in your new position. In my business career I changed companies and roles a number of times and learned that getting a fast start in your new position by delivering early but enduring results hinges on rapidly building credibility in your new role. There are five principles worth following in order to do so:

First, be demanding of your people, but make sure your demands can be satisfied. Effective leaders press people to make realistic commitments and then hold them to these commitments. At Ameritech, as President of the Small Business Services Unit, I instituted a goal setting system based on a motivating view of an attractive future and then systematically measured progress against those initiatives needed to achieve the goals. Demonstrating an intolerance for failing to meet commitments and goals, which was my operating style, encourages people to make realistic promises. At the same time, if you can never be satisfied, you will demoralize people and erode their motivation. So, a balance of stretch but achievable goals with appropriate measurement tools is a major element in establishing your credibility with your subordinates and your boss early in your tenure.

Second, be approachable but not too familiar. Being approachable doesn't mean making yourself available "on demand". Rather it means being accessible, but in a "measured" way that maintains your authority and responsibilities. At Borden, Inc, as a new Senior Group Vice-President, I held town meetings in our headquarters site and major regional locations to ensure accessibility while signaling a leadership change and changes in the way were going to do business, including communication. This engaged my employees through strong leadership visibility and gave them a communications channel they didn't have previously.

Third, be decisive but discriminating. New leaders want to show they can take charge. However, doing so in an impulsive manner may create problems. Instead, your objective in the early stages of your tenure is to project decisiveness while deferring crucial decisions until your learning is well along. At P&G, as a Brand Manager in the 1970's, I transferred from one division to another, a rare occurrence in those days and very similar to joining a new company since each division had its own culture and personality. It was important for me to learn who made key decisions, both formally and informally, how they did so, and on what basis (and decisions, of course, are made both rationally and emotionally), before I tried to interject and impose my own prior experience and my own way of doing things. Watching and learning early paid of for me when I started to successfully assert myself in my new role in my new environment.

Fourth, act vigorously without creating chaos. There is a fine balance between stimulating action and overwhelming your organization with a sizable number of priorities. You want to be perceived as active, but without appearing unfocused and working your staff into an early state of exhaustion. Leadership is about taking action before someone tells you to do it, but pacing the level of activity to your organization’s is a key management skill you need to exercise. At Kraft Foods, where I was President of two different large Kraft Divisions, we built a great organization one step at a time -- starting with superior products, then creating a world class executive team, establishing leading edge trade relations, and pursuing strong brand building through advertising and promotion with consumers -- rather than trying to become world class overnight. That made an enormous difference in preserving what already working while systematically improving our marketplace profile.

And fifth, make the hard decisions, but be humanistic in doing so. Invariably, you will inherit at least one staff member who needs to be replaced, requiring an early decision that is difficult. But, successful new leaders don't avoid these situations and they do what needs to be done (and procrastination will clearly send the wrong signal). However, in acting, the key is doing so in ways that are perceived as fair and that preserve the dignity of those involved. Be hard on the issues but soft on the people. In every key management role I've had, at least one of my direct reports has been asked to leave by me. But I've always offered these individuals the resources and support, including outplacement services and a fair severance agreement, to smooth the transition.

It was difficult to secure this exciting new position. With the thoughtful planning and measured action noted here you can enhance your credibility early and dramatically increase your likelihood of long term success in your new role.