In the last issue of our Spindler newsletter we highlighted the importance of making a good impression during your first 90 days in a new job. It is true to say that the foundations of success – or failure – in the new role will be laid during this initial period.
In that issue (available elsewhere on our website) we outlined a number of tips designed to help the new executive manager to settle in quickly and lay the foundations for their new career.
Due to the popularity of that article we have decided to expand on this subject a little further. As you are probably aware there are a large number of books on this subject so, to save you time, our consultants have reviewed three of the main titles. We hope you find these of interest.
The three books reviewed were:
- "New Kid on the Block" by Frances Kay (Marshall Cavendish) £12.99
- "From New Recruit to High Flyer" by Hugh Karseras (Kogan Page) £9.99
- "The First 90 Days" by Michael Watkins (Harvard Business School Press) £16.99
It was clear from the start that they are aimed at different markets. Frances Kay's New Kid on the Block comes in a popular presentation, with lots of case studies and tips, all presented in graphically enhanced panels, which makes it an easy read. There is plenty of homely advice, such as "Be nice to people on your way up because you'll meet 'em on your way down" and "Tomorrow is always the busiest day of the week". There is also helpful advice on the importance of communications, being part of a team, developing successful relationships and so on.
Its written in a friendly style, laid out in a tabloid fashion, and its common sense approach would make it a great gift to a son or daughter, or any young person taking first steps up the career ladder.
From New Recruit to High Flyer does what it says on the cover "No-nonsense advice on how to fast track your career" and is squarely aimed at graduate entrants to management careers in high-performing organisations.
Karseras is in a good position to know the factors leading to success, as his career has been with investment banks and McKinsey & Company. His book is a real manual for getting into a leading position in the company of high achievers, packed with sound advice from attitude ("it all starts with attitude"), to developing into an excellent research analyst (including the basics of spreadsheets), and very detailed advice on communications and project management, all based on sound experience in the real world.
Finally there is more practical advice on managing the political organisation. Karseras recommends that the reader reads his book once straight through, to get an overview; then to read a second time and mark key passages with a pencil or highlighter. Further recommendations are to check back with the book frequently for quick refreshers, and then to re-read the whole book a year later. The information it contains is densely packed, and would certainly repay such an approach.
The author of The First 90 Days, Michael Watkins, is an Associate Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and a specialist in leadership transitions. This is an American book, but equally relevant to corporate life in the UK. The cover of this book promises, "Critical success strategies for new leaders at all levels", and it delivers.
Watkins outlines the theory that in any transition there is a break-even point, the point at which the new executive has contributed as much value to the new organisation as consumed from it, because new leaders are net consumers of value early on; as they learn and begin to take action, they begin to create value.
The objective of the book is to get leaders to the break-even point earlier, and to help them avoid possibly fatal mistakes that they cannot easily recover from. As is traditional, the book makes ten key points, and a chapter is devoted to each. The contents of each chapter genuinely build on these key points and don't just come up with endless ways of saying them differently.
The book will enable a new executive to plan effectively and to prepare for difficulties not previously considered, and to develop a real understanding of what success will look like. This book works well for experienced managers and promotes the creation of a purposeful strategy for those crucial 90 days.
There are few managers undergoing transition who would not benefit from reading and acting on this professional guide to leadership in a new organisation.
We hope you found these reviews of interest and would certainly encourage anyone starting a new job to pick up at least one of them. We were particularly impressed by the Watkins book and intend to give a complimentary copy to all our executive appointments from now on. We are sure it will give them a clear edge.
