New Horizons or What Have I Done?

I'd been with my previous company for 10 years and was a respected leader.  Six months ago, I joined a new firm and struggle to get buy-in for my vision.  Did I make a mistake switching companies?

First, celebrate the courage it took to change.  Many folks sit quietly frustrated (or loudly bitching) in their careers, too passive or frightened to seek out new opportunities.  You took a risk.  Respect!

Second.  Moving companies is always bumpy. Maybe moving was a mistake, but it’s too early to tell.

There are many reasons why you may feel like last week’s fish in your new firm.

It could be that your vision is HORRID and you couldn’t sell it if it were ice cream on a summer's day.  

My money says your ideas are better than horrid.  

But you’re the new kid on the block.  You need time to build the connections and credibility necessary to have influence.  

Consider:  

• You were at your old company for 10 years where a lot happened that made you “you”.

• You learned, grew and established a reputation.  You made friends.  You suffered together and got things done together. 

• You earned respect, credibility, good will and leadership capital: super important ingredients for success.

• You internalized the written and unwritten house rules and found ways to leverage them.

• You knew who to call and learned how to find the shortest distance between idea and implementation.  You had influence.

Then you left.

Here’s the problem: while your abilities travel with you, the connective tissues you built up over a decade is firm specific and virtually none of it is portable.    

But dread not!  Given time, you will grow similar tissues in your new firm if you can hang with it.  

Some suggestions:

• Stakeholder management:  I addressed this in “3 Leadership Challenges”, which you can find on my site.  In sum, get your pitch together and start making the case to the people who must approve, fund and support your vision.  This is a process and you won’t get home in the first encounters.

• Request a senior internal buddy/mentor.  An experienced guide can lead you around the trip hazards of the new shop, helping with the written and unwritten house rules.

• Find friends and allies, especially those you will rely on to implement your vision. Convince them.

• Engage your new team.  Their acceptance of you as a leader and buy-in are critical.  

• Share the “why” of what you want to do and tell them “how” it will be done.  

• Give them the chance to engage and challenge.   Give them a chance to shine.

• Modify as needed.

• “Elevate” conversation from tactical to strategic.  Paint the picture of how the world looks from the mountaintop. Your mountaintop.

• “Engage & Inspire”.  Give people a reason to believe and come along with you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

There’s no cramming for this exam.  Building trust, credibility and commitment in a new environment is hard and requires persistence.  Without it, you will continue to struggle to get the buy-in you need so go get it!

If you wonder whether coaching can help you overcome a professional challenge, Let’s Talk .  Please feel free to schedule a Discovery Session with me by clicking on the attached link. 

Until next time.

Be well everybody.