Onboarding New Leaders: How HR Business Partners Accelerate Results

Making New Leaders Successful: How HR Business Partners are Accelerating Results

Pam Fox RollinExecutive Coach, IdeaShapeApril 24, 2013

2© 2013, IdeaShape. All rights reserved.

What helps people succeed in new leadership roles?


What’s working for you and what’s next?


How can HR Business Partners accelerate new leader success?



Pam Fox Rollin

• Executive coach to C-level through senior director,focusing on leadership, strategy, effectiveness

• Facilitates senior team off-sites, leadershipworkshops, and high-value teambuilding

• Myers-Briggs MasterPractitioner®

• Author, 42 Rules for Your New Leadership Role: The Manual They Didn’t Hand You When You Made VP, Director, or Manager


Who’s here?


Within the first 18 months•40% of promoted managers fail•25% of promoted executives fail•30% of external executive hires fail

•What are the stats for the teams you support?

Why do new leaders so often fail?

Manchester, Inc,2012; Van Velsor and Brittain, 1995


What’s it worth to the business for leaders to onboard fast?

And well?


• Shortened product cycles• More rapid cadence of major initiatives

• Greater spans of control• More dispersed and multicultural teams

• HR and T&D stretched• More diverse technology

Starting now is even more challenging


Good start?


Myths ofThe Start

1.My team and peers know I’m coming and are glad I’m here.

2.My objectives are widely known and make sense.

3.My boss’s level supports and is paving the path for my big to-dos.

4.People will clue me in if I’m about to do something unwise.

Myth meets reality.

13© 2013, IdeaShape. All rights reserved. IdeaShape, 2011, n=139, recruited through type forums, social media, personal requests

139 leaders told me about their start


• Unclear expectations• Unclear support• Changes not welcome• Information overload• Covert politics• Skeptical, cynical team

Common• Off-shift communications

• Moving to smaller team

• Poor records• Bureaucracy• Brand new group• No budget

Distinctive

And told many of the same stories

IdeaShape, 2011, n=139, recruited through type forums, social media, personal requests


• Make a plan, be organized• Listen, be curious• Discover/set expectations• Build relationships up, down, across

• Be yourself, be confident

Same advice across levels & MBTI® type

Their advice to new leaders…



Glad I did in first 3 months

• “Got clear on what success was. Pursued my vision. Built good relationships with execs and customers.” --ENTJ

• “Let the team create the vision with me. Got on top team agenda. Personally in touch with beaucoup people.” --ENFJ

• “Held team meetings to introduce myself. Got to know everyone on team. Analyzed stakeholders.” –ENTP

• “Affirmed roles and relationships. Asking questions that helped others bring a fresh eye. Listening/talking.” --ENFP

• “Met my team and built all the relationships. Requested feedback from direct reports at 3-month mark.” –ESTJ

• “Asked my team what we should continue doing, stop doing, start doing. Explained my role.” --ESFJ



Glad I did in first 3 months

• “Spent time with each team member individually. Learned more about all levels to make operational changes.” --INTP

• “Regrounded decision-making in fairness, respect. Valued expertise of leadership team [which] rebuilt morale. ” --INFJ

• “Reorganized around functions. Met by appointment with each member of the group.” –ISTJ

• “Shadowed department managers; Moved to [boss] office ; Innovative changes [to create] collaborative team.” --INFP

• “Worked with team on clear goals. Developed clear mission. Built infrastructure for change. Roadmap.” --INTJ



Wish I’d done differently in first 3 mo.

• “Slowed down a bit. Stressed less, laughed more. Built more bridges to colleagues.” --ENTJ

• “Set a more strategic vision that was my own. More objective in decision-making. Not so intense.” --ENFJ

• “Been more specific about the vision. Followed progress closer of those less skilled. Listen more, speak less.” --ENTP

• “Speak more results-oriented T-language. Been more structured and organized. Reviewed the metrics.” --ENFP

• “Learn more about office dynamics. Been tougher on my staff (!). Learn job functions of lower-level folks.” –ESTJ

• “Wish I did not get as personally involved. Set more boundaries. More confidence to speak up.” --ESFJ



• “Built relationships with peers. Gotten so worked up about my own incompetence. Spoke up in exec meetings.” --INTP

• “Separated myself from friends more quickly. Confronted a trouble-maker rather than letting HR handle it.” --INFJ

• “More available on impromptu basis. Get to know them better sooner. Not been as stringent on rules.” --ISTJ

• “Interacted with people more. Learned a few more names. Less hiding in my office.” --INFP

• “Met more often as a group. Built relationships. Insisted on getting in front of senior execs more.” --INTJ


Wish I’d done differently in first 3 mo.


1.Set yourself up for success2.Map the terrain3.Show up wisely4.Start your wins5.Create your management system6.Stay smart7.Set you and your team to thrive

So what should a new leader do?

Begin Ready. Give yourself time to rest up, minimize non-work activities, and get your head in the game.

Create your Strategic 1-Pager declaring (to yourself) your POV on how your new group creates value.

Preload the overwhelm. Read Everything relevant to your team, noting your questions and ideas.

Take charge of your start! Implement your own Onboarding Plan.

Leverage the Honeymoon. Go meet stakeholders and learn what matters to them. Grease the skids.

Figure out What to Prove by When – about you and your team.

Be the calm eye of the hurricane, not the tail of the tornado. Focus!

Use outsider eyes to think beyond legacy targets and old job descriptions. Propose what’s Right for the Business.

Get to know the hidden best of your team. Use Their Strengths.

Ask the Hard Questions. Do not take over thinking for your team members. Your brain will be tired enough.

Create Clarity everywhere you go. Fuzziness invites inaction.

Aim for Quick Wins that matter for both results and learning.

Build “Us” – lead the learning, ban the blame, and honor their honesty.

For more, see “42 Rules for Your New Leadership Role” by Pam Fox Rollin, IdeaShape.com/book

Your 90-day checklist

Showing up and doing your best is not enough.

• Speak with your entire team to introduce yourself in this role, and make time to speak with them again in a couple of weeks

• Get to know each of your direct reports; share with them in advance your basic outline for those conversations

• Learn priorities of your boss, peers, and other key leaders

• Connect with high-value customers and suppliers

• Check in with your finance rep and HR business partner

• If you're leading a business unit or sales organization, get on top of the numbers immediately

• Learn the status and history of key initiatives

• If working with unfamiliar cultures, arrange a tutorial

Take charge of your start!


Where’sbuilding 82?

What do theythink of me?

How do I getinto email?

Will Isurvive?

Which ones needmy attention?

Who are these people?

What’s highpriority?

What the quarterly plan saysWhat your boss wants now

What sales is demanding

What customers tell youWhat you’re budgeted forWhat engineering will support

What you think you can do

What your team wants

FOCUS

Set priorities


• Commit to frequent meetings to start

• Achieve mind meld on priorities

• Let people to tell you what’s not working

• Provide right mix of direction and support

Launch one-to-ones that matter

What they do now

What you wantthem to do

Map the need for change


So you have a new leader coming in…

What will success look like?


How are HR business partners helping?

• Interviewed 11 HR BPs, plus a SR VP HR,and a head of Onboarding

• Sizes ranged from pre-IPO to Fortune 100• Most participate in shaping processes

• Most have much to offer mgr onboarding but not asked and don’t reach out

• A few do, and find it makes a big difference


Why not?

• Not my job; biz leader’s job(but often biz leader too busy to onboard)

• I’m too stretched(but I wind up paying for it down the road)

• I’m not at same site• We haven’t defined what leadership is, and I don’t know how to talk about our culture


Really, is it sink or swim?


• Performance

• Compensation

• Staffing

• Risk mgmt

• L&D

• OD

• Coaching

• Biz leader

• Managers

• Business goals

• Staffing needs

• Team members

• HR challenges

The HR Business Partner


Offer

Offer

Start

Start

OrientOrient

T&DT&D

Navigate

Change

Navigate

ChangeRe-Staff

Re-Staff

AnnualReview

s

AnnualReview

s

Problems

Problems

Who do I have?Who do I have?

When do you start building trust?


Leading

Managing

Skills

StrategyCulture, Initiatives

Relationships


Relationships

EngagingCollaborating

Influencing


Influencing

Performance MgmtCompensation

Roles and Rules


Roles and Rules

CoachingDelegatingPlanning


KnowledgeExamples

What new leaders need to know


Leading

Managing

Skills


Relationships


Relationships


Influencing


Influencing


Roles and Rules


Roles and Rules



Knowledge

Who and WhyWho and Why Reporting UpReporting Up

Initiatives and GoalsInitiatives and Goals MentoringMentoring

Examples

Up & Across

Directs

What others need to know


• Raise priority of new mgr/leader onboarding• Co-develop onboarding plans, with actions for

business leaders and HR BPs• Design onboarding programs for up-&-across

connections, well beyond transactional• Front-load high-priority manager training• Encourage peer learning and collaboration

What can I do for better processes?


• Build trust before problems, go to lunch• Be a thought-partner and sounding board• Help them read the clues• Find out their needs and offer resources• Make introductions

What can I do 1:1 with the new leader?


• Reach out to biz leader to see what would help onboard each new leader

• Anticipate and raise HR/development gaps• Engage OD team (or put on your OD hat)

What can I do with the business unit?


• As you help design onboarding programs?

• As you partner with the hiring managers?

• As you coach new leaders?

What will you do next?


Join us now for book signing! 42 Rules for Your New Leadership Role:The Manual They Didn’t Hand YouWhen You Became VP, Director, or Managerhttp://ideashape.com/book


Glad to talk with you any time.

Pam Fox RollinIdeaShape Coaching & [email protected]

Onboarding New Leaders: How HR Business Partners Accelerate Results

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Transcript of Onboarding New Leaders: How HR Business Partners Accelerate Results