You’ll possibly never be in more of a state of confusion, excitement, learning, anxiety and, hope as you are when you first start a new role. This program aims to give you the edge. This program has been designed from the perspective of you starting a new role. However, you could use the tips and ideas to help any new starter in your team to get up to speed fast. Helping them to feel that they have joined the right team and the right leader!

Clarity around your personal brand, helps you build a reputation as a person who knows where you are going and how you are going to get there. Imagine I asked you to do a presentation to your new team letting them know how you make decisions. Could you describe, in 3 bullet points, the principles that you use to focus your thinking and guide your business decision making? Your non-negotiables are the guiding principles you live your life by and feel are the cornerstones of team success. These are behaviors, you’ll hold your team member’s feet to the fire over because you expect it of yourself and them. 

Make sure you stay in touch with your hiring manager before your first day. Here's a couple of things to consider (and you probably should have done this while you were in the interview stage - but if you haven't fix it now!). Before Day One, you want to have begun to draft a vision for the next 12 months. The principle of paring outcomes down holds true regardless of whether you are developing your vision for the next 12 months, mapping out your day, or setting up your KPIs with your team for the year. Speak with your manager about potentially meeting with some of your key stakeholders (your manager, peers, direct reports, internal/external stakeholders) before your first day.

The first day is always one of nerves. If your hiring manager doesn’t provide the following, make sure you ask. (BTW if they don’t give you these basics you might well wonder if you’ve joined the right organization!). Hopefully, you’ve done the work on your Brand and have clarity around how you will tell people about yourself. So, now you are ready to start building those all-important relationships. Identify the people who are critical to success. Don’t just think internally either. Think of people external to the organization that could influence your success. Shortly after your first day, you’ll need to ‘officially’ introduce yourself to your team. We give you the type of information you may want to share with them. 

New hires can dilute a culture and can also be part of the reinvigoration of a new culture. Within your team, during the first three months you should be doing the following... Hopefully, your manager will be upfront with you about the potential pitfalls and mistakes that culturally could derail you (both within your team and across the broader organization).

You must understand the expectations at Division, Department, Team and individual levels. Here’s a list of the type documentation you need, so that you know what you need to do, by when and the resources that are at your disposal... The “Let’s Transform This” is the project that will galvanize your team and enable you to have shared success. This project should be the rallying call for everyone in the team - the one thing that brings them all together, to gain a great win, in the early months of your leadership.

We all have areas we can improve and enhance our skillset. Hopefully, you’ll receive quick, positive feedback about how your strengths are working well in your new role. If you take action on the ‘what you should do’ suggestions, you’ll have the information you need to shine during that all-important first quarter.

If you are an internal hire – either promotion or cross-ways move, most of what is covered in this book is relevant. However, there are a few additional considerations.