A change of command is a fairly scripted process. You line up the troops, the adjutant does their thing, the guidon is handed off, and the speeches are given. When my time came to take the guidon, I had endured enough of these ceremonies to know that it was my predecessor’s day in the spotlight. I kept my speech short—less than two minutes—and released the troops for the remainder of the afternoon.
Alone in my new office later that day, I gathered my thoughts as I reviewed my plan for the weeks ahead. The month preceding the change of command had given me ample opportunity to assess the strengths and weaknesses of my new organization, and my plan—basically what the Army would call a “crawl-walk-run” framework—for the coming months would allow me to leverage those strengths to build positive momentum while setting in motion the changes necessary to improve those areas identified for development.
Leading Change
The operative term in all of this is change. It’s a change for you, it’s a change for the organization, and it’s a change for the team. If you’re looking for one book that defines how to maneuver this process, it’s John Kotter’s Leading Change. Kotter’s eight-step framework—supported by decades of research and practice—for successfully navigating change is the definitive guide for new leaders. Before you do anything else, read Kotter.
DRUCKER’S FIVE QUESTIONS
As you prepare to seize the guidon, it helps to get to the heart of the organization you’re going to lead and define success on your terms. This is a monumental task, if only because long-term success depends on short-term preparation. For this, Peter Drucker’s The Five Most Important Questions You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization is a necessary first step. The book is short enough—just under 100 pages—to read in a sitting, yet still detailed enough to set you on the path to success. Drucker’s five questions are an indispensable element of your journey.
What is your mission?
Every organization has a raison d’être, a purpose for existing. The mission statement for an organization should clearly define what and why you do what you do; it should be clearly and concisely stated, and everyone should understand it. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. Make it a priority.
Who is your customer?
For some organizations, this is a relatively easy question to answer. In other cases, uncertainty exists. Every organization has customers, regardless of mission. As important as understanding what and why you do is knowing who you do it for.
What does your customer value?
Once you have a clear vision of who your customers are, focus your efforts on meeting their needs. How do you satisfy those needs? How does your customer define success? Of Drucker’s five questions, this is probably the most important and the one most leaders fail to ask.
What are your results?
Progress needs to be measurable, both in qualitative and quantitative terms. Setting objectives is typically far easier than defining and assessing the results. For this, John Doerr’s Measure What Matters is an invaluable resource. The book is an essential part of any leadership bookshelf and critical when it comes to assessing progress toward your organizational—and personal—goals.
What is your plan?
All the big ideas in the world are useless without a plan. For a plan to be effective, it needs to embrace simplicity and flexibility while pulling together your mission, vision, and goals, objectives, and key results. You can’t get to where you want to go without a map and a compass.
While Drucker’s five questions are a power tool to define success, you can argue that they’re incomplete. Recently, author and former Army attack helicopter pilot Shannon Huffman Polson noted that the list needed a sixth question: Are your employees thriving? If they’re not, you’ll need to account for that in your planning—a winning team is the lifeblood of an organization. If they are, then you’re going to lead an organization poised for success.
BUilding Momentum
Will Rogers is often credited for observing, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” Success or failure for a new leader is typically established in the first 90 days. Having a flexible plan in hand on Day 1 is critical if you want to hit the ground running and make a positive impact early on. My initial assessment allowed me to set priorities, goals, and milestones, while at that same time identifying systemic issues that presented obstacles to progress.
Setting a template for those first 90 days allows you to build and sustain momentum well into the future. I’ve found two books are essential to this process. First, Michael Watkins’ The First 90 Days offers seven different approaches for building momentum after a leadership transition. Second, James Clear’s Atomic Habits is an incredible resource for holding that momentum over time through stretch goals. Taken together, these two books provide the aspirational wherewithal to dream and achieve beyond what others deem possible. They allow you to define your own limits and offer the means to extend organizational success well into the future.
