New at the helm?

Let’s look at an issue that every manager faces at one time or another during his or her career: What do I say and how should I act in the first few days of leadership in new job or assignment?

It’s a good question to consider since the first days at the helm can be critical in establishing the credibility and legitimacy of a new leader. Mess those first few days up with an inappropriate comment or embarrassing moment and you may have a long climb back to respectability.

Consider the new manager of a national retail operation who spent the first day on the job meeting his new direct reports. Apparently he had been briefed by his predecessor on the strengths and weaknesses of each of the members of his crew and as he met each one he not only shook hands but let them know what he’d heard. “Oh, you’re the attendance problem” or “You’re the one who doesn’t meet deadlines,” he said in complete oblivion to the impact of his words.

Since everyone is eagerly and sometimes fearfully awaiting a firsthand briefing on the new boss, every comment may be immediately interpreted and circulated throughout the entire organization. You’re either great or you’re a fool within moments of the first words out of your mouth.

If you have some good luck (in which you say or do the right things) and some back luck (in which you stumble), the bad luck will win out and follow you everywhere. Remember, people have initial fears about a new boss. They’re apprehensively looking to confirm the bad.
What then should a new executive do? Hire a PR agent to develop scripts for the first day? Perhaps not, but there are ways to avoid trusting your fate to mere luck.

First, understand that everyone is waiting with bated breath to define you. In some ways they’re like the members of the press that surround a politician hoping for something to come out of his or her mouth that is “newsworthy” or controversial.

Next, don’t take the bait. If you’re asked loaded questions or questions that ask you to evaluate some aspect of the company’s practices, policies or people, just defer judgment. After all, you’re new. You should sound completely reasonable saying, “I really don’t know yet.”

Finally, don’t volunteer your preliminary opinions. Hold them in reserve. Remember that anything you believe now is likely to be based on secondhand sources, just like their opinions of you have been garnered from the rumor mill. Maybe the “attendance problem” isn’t an attendance problem. Maybe the other executive isn’t a “deadline problem.” They deserve a chance. Just like you.

Tom Aranow is a former CEO who now consults with CEOs and other executives as a Senior Advisor with Harrington Daniels Advisors, LLC. He may be reached at Tom@hdadvisors.com.