Role transitions can be both exciting and overwhelming.  Making the most out of your first 90 days is critical to your success as a leader. Helping your new leader make the most out of his or her first 90 days is critical to your success as their manager. Unfortunately, helping new employees achieve a fast start is often overlooked!

In our last post, "Hire 'em and Leave 'em", you saw the morbid stats of role transitions without an official onboarding or accelerated role transition program. It doesn't have to be this way.

Focus, planning and strategic action will help accelerate any role transition.

So what do you focus on or what would you have your new leader do to keep everyone associated with the transition productively occupied?

Here are some first steps:

1. Build a framework. Schedule some time to build a framework with activities and timelines for the transition...to ramp up to full speed. The first 90 days on the job lends itself to lots of aimless wandering and productivity loss without structure. What needs to be known about the company? the role itself? the team/stakeholders?
2. Agree on short-term expectations. What, if accomplished in the first 90 days would make the most impact for all concerned if completed? What would provide a quick win?
3. Be a detective. Knowledge is power in the first 90 days. The quicker you learn what is really going on and how things really get done, the faster you can get started on the things that really matter. Identify these key stakeholders and interview them!

The bottom line is this. Don't wander through a role transition. Strategically plan the process as if you were planning a new business venture or product launch.  The product is you. The new venture is your impact. With a formal induction process you can achieve more with less stress, plus move your company forward in the process...a win-win for all concerned! What will you do today?

Stay tuned for some next steps in a successful role transition...they'll be all about YOU!

Still overwhelmed? Don't know where to start? Contact me today or click here for information on how to make a fast start in a new role.