📱New exec, who dis?

Welcome to The Thinker, a twice-monthly newsletter where I provide thought-provoking questions to help you cultivate a fulfilling and high-performing career.

Hi there!

Quick story: On one bright and cheery Bay Area morning a few years ago, I pulled over to get gas along the 101, checked my work email, and saw that my inbox was flooded with “goodbye emails.” Nearly every single e-staff member had been fired - the new CEO had cleaned house. (Needless to say, not a lot of work got done that day.)

Execs come and go - it’s natural. Usually, it’s part of an overarching realignment strategy by the BoD or the CEO (or both) and it’s a critical moment, not just for the company, but also for your career.

Today, we’re talking about how to navigate the situation when you have a new C-level, exec, or departmental head. 

The following reflection questions will get your relationship with your new exec set up for success and maximize your opportunity to increase impact. Let’s dive in, ya?

1. What is their vision for the organization? 

→ What do they care about?

→ What does that mean for you? 

In their first 1-1 with a new exec, most people start with “me.” (ex. “Here’s what my team is working on. These are the challenges I’m having. Here’s how you can help.”) But the strategic move here is to understand their goals, their vision. 

When your new boss was interviewing with the board or CEO, they communicated their vision. They had a hypothesis for where they’d take the team. Get in there and position yourself as the strategic leader that you are by asking about their big-picture goals. 

2. What do you want them to know about you and your team? 

→ How do you want to pace their onboarding?  

→ What context about your team helps unlock their understanding of other teams?

Execs are expected to onboard fast. In their first month, they’re meeting with tons of people, drinking from the firehose, consuming large amounts of information. Few execs retain most of what they’re told in their first quarter. 

Lower your expectations for what they’ll remember and intentionally pace the amount of context that you share with them. Use your first few interactions very strategically - be intentional about the context you give and the things you want to highlight. This will make information stickier for your exec. 

3. How can you maximize the moment?  

→ What can you ask for? 

→ What norms can you change?

This is a reset moment for you - a clean slate. Use this as an opportunity to change habits and behaviors that became normalized dysfunction under the previous executive. 

Didn’t like how your 1-1s were structured? Propose a new setup. Want to adjust the weekly team meeting cadence? Make a suggestion for how it should be going forward. This is the time to shake things up.

I know it can sometimes be unsettling when there are big changes in your org. Most people panic, choosing non-action and “waiting for the dust to settle.” Don’t lean back here - step in and use this as a strategic opportunity to build allyship. 

You’ve got this, 

McKay