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4 Things That Sink New Executives, and How to Overcome Them

2016-02-25 11:03:41

Ron Carucci

February 09, 2016

When mountaineers ascend rapidly to very high altitudes, they sometimes suffer

from a condition called acute mountain sickness. The severe nausea and

headaches are much like a bad hangover, but left unaddressed, can be

debilitating and even fatal.

In more than 30 years of consulting with senior executives, I ve also witnessed

a kind of high altitude sickness among executives who rise quickly in

organizations. Upon arrival into the executive ranks, they seem disoriented,

unable to adapt, catch their breath, and acclimate to the new environment.

We ve known for decades that between 50-70% of executives fail within 18 months

of their appointment. Our research set out to uncover what problems undermined

otherwise promising executives upon arrival into the highest organizational

altitudes. In more than 2,700 comprehensive interviews in 148 organizations

ranging in size from $50M family owned to $120B Fortune 10, we isolated clear

patterns that enabled effective executives to sidestep the common pitfalls of

newly minted executives.

Fifty-four percent of our respondents said they did not have realistic

expectations of what an executive role would entail. We discovered a host of

destabilizing factors, but four derailers in particular appeared almost

immediately upon arrival, distorting reality for new executives. The executives

who managed to get through the difficult transition period and ultimately

succeed, however, prepared carefully and found ways to work around them. Here s

how they did it:

1. Avoid a larger-than-life persona by defining your image. As leaders rise,

others perceive them differently. Because of the public way their leadership

plays out before thousands, they take on a celebrity status where others become

fascinated by all they do. Some will revere a new executive while others will

fear them. Because the demands of executive roles make them less accessible,

people fill in the resulting voids with stories of their own. Many senior

executives have been surprised when they realize people are making stuff up

about them. By virtue of their expanded role, a leader s presence is felt no

matter how distant they are. This is in part due to the phenomenon of

embodiment. Sitting atop a function or business, leaders embody their

organization. If they lead Marketing, to the rest of the organization, they are

Marketing.

Leaders must avoid having others completely define them, preventing a default

persona from becoming how people know them. The higher up a leader rises, the

more their reputation matters, and the further outside their direct control it

becomes. It takes on a life of its own, entering rooms before leaders do. Their

name will be bandied about across the company and on the lips of people they ve

never spoken to. Forty-two percent of our respondents indicated they felt

people ascribed motives to their choices that were inconsistent with actual

motives. When leaders know others are misperceiving them, they must have the

courage to confront outright fabrications. They must also humbly take

responsibility for perceptions their actions may have provoked before others

have the chance to broadcast distorted views to wider audiences.

2. Neutralize the megaphone effect by crafting purposeful messages. The same

applies to leaders words: not only is how they re seen distorted, everything

they say is given exaggerated importance. Executives must accept they now speak

through a bullhorn 24/7. Their verbal and behavioral messages are amplified the

moment they step into an elevated role. A newly appointed executive I worked

with found people trying to read the future from his casual remarks: I m just

trying to make small talk in the elevator and they re looking at me like the

Prophet Elijah. Every time I open my mouth someone attaches meaning to it. I

keep hearing Bill said. People are attributing things to me I not only never

said, but never even thought.

There is no small talk at the top of organizations. While leaders should not

become stiff and formal, they must remain mindful of how people experience

them. They must be clear about intentions and precise in communication. One

respondent aptly said, Never take the impact of your position for granted.

Comments, suggestions, even audible pauses, hold much more weight and meaning

now. Measured actions and words become more critical when their reach is

extended. New executives must resist the temptation to prove themselves with

impulsive words and actions that come back to haunt them; instead, minimize the

risk by taking extra time to form your views and express your thoughts with

precision and genuineness.

3. Don t resent sifted data, learn to work with it. It is quite common for new

executives to find that their access to unfiltered information dries up the

moment they re elevated into a new role. A newly appointed head of R&D was

troubled to notice how information he d previously enjoyed free access to

suddenly waned upon his promotion. People he d relied on for the truth seemed

to react differently now, and couch information in ways to avoid conflict or

curry favor.

Information is a currency of influence in organizations. Whether or not it is

safe to offer executives truthful information depends on how leaders react to

unvarnished information harsh reactions will lead to carefully sifted data.

Once a leader s trustworthiness to handle the truth is established, they will

get increasingly complete data, though they should never expect access to all

data they once enjoyed. Leaders must be up front with information needs,

mindful of people s concerns, and above all, consistent in their style to avoid

unintended mixed signals. Inconsistency is what creates fears that drive data

sifting. Inviting hard truths and handling them with grace and honesty will

increase your access to the intel you need to lead well.

4. Embrace the aliens next door. But perhaps the greatest distortions of all

occur in close relationships. Relationships once characterized by comfortable

familiarity now seem alien and others reactions confusing: former peers become

direct reports, or at least remain at lower levels, while former superiors

become the new peer set. Fifty-one percent of our respondents indicated that

the politics at higher levels made it difficult to trust their new peers.

Executives should proceed with the assumption that things will never be the

same despite inwardly feeling that I m still the same person.

Successful executives make a conscious effort to reset boundaries in redefined

relationships. They deliberately discuss things such as new priorities,

accessibility, information flow, and mutual expectations of influence and

confidentiality. It may feel awkward, but by resetting these boundaries leaders

send clear signals about your desire for a trusting relationship, and avoids

disappointing others privately held expectations.

Though altitudinal distortions are unavoidable when rising in organizations,

how an executive responds is within their control, and done well, can

accelerate your early wins. Anticipate these four awaiting distortions, and you

can translate their potentially derailing consequences into success.

Ron Carucci is co-founder and managing partner at Navalent, working with CEOs

and executives pursuing transformational change for their organizations,

leaders, and industries. He is the best-selling author of eight books,

including the recent Amazon #1 Rising to Power. Connect with him on Twitter at

@RonCarucci.