As soon as you step into a top position at a company that needs to significantly improve the way it operates, there’s pressure to get off to a quick start.
Why New Leaders Should Be Wary of Quick Wins
When someone steps into a top position at a company that needs to improve, the pressure is on to get off to a quick start — to deliver early wins to prove yourself. Yet the best way to succeed is to slow things down. Speeding through changes deprives you of insight into people and culture. Slowing down allows you to listen to what people are saying, get a picture of how you are affecting them, understand sources of resistance, and come to a fuller understanding of your actions’ ramifications. The result is greater control over your transition to new responsibilities and the company’s transition to a new era. Five techniques can help a leader create a measured pace: control the flow (manage the rush of information), reflect (put things in perspective), repeat (play back what others have said), question (ask “What did we just do?”), and use silence (pause before responding).