What You can Learn from the Mistakes of New CEO’s

I coach many CEO’s in my practice, and I repeatedly see the same mistakes trip up new leaders again and again.  However, these mistakes are not just limited to the people at the highest ranks of organizations. All leaders in new positions face a similar set of challenges. In this video, I lay out four pieces of practical advice for new leaders.

First, don’t set an arbitrary timeline for yourself such as “the first 90 days,” which can cause you to misprioritize key initiatives. Instead think in more holistic time frames such as short term and long term. Next, don’t ignore the history of the position, team and organization you’re coming into. Know what your predecessor was like and be conscious of how your style differs and the discomfort and growing pains that difference might cause for your new team. Thirdly, ensure you don’t come in with the answers. Whether an internal or external hire, allow yourself time to do a diagnostic, talk to stakeholders and understand the situation –from the perspective of your new position. And, finally, establish your own bar. Set realistic expectations with your stakeholders about your understanding of the situation you’ve come into and what will be possible going forward and in what timeline. If you don’t set it, trust me, others will.