According to the Hagberg Consulting Group, more than 10 percent of Fortune 1000 companies changed at least one of their top three officers last year. Chances are that your company will experience a leadership change of one kind or another. Some items to keep in mind are your company will need to be prepared, not only during your recruiting process, but during the new leader’s critical transition time.
Things to keep in mind when hiring for a new executive:
Two of the qualities you’ll want the new leader for your organization to have include someone with an inspiring, charismatic personality that fits with the company culture, and a great communicator at all levels of the organization. If your previous executive left on a not-so-positive note, you’ll want to address employee concerns prior to the recruiting effort to ensure a better fit this time. By profiling the ideal candidate beforehand, your company can aid recruiters in asking the right questions and screening candidates to find the ideal leads. Your recruiting firm can also help evaluate the situation and help your company determine the best fit for the position and the company’s needs.
Things to keep in mind during the transition period:
Once your company has chosen its new leader, these important steps will help the executive and the employees have a smoother transition:
For the Leader:
- Establish a rapport early.
- Show initiative and willingness to learn.
- Stay visible at all times.
- Avoid conflict, aggression or condescension.
- Address any issues with the previous or current team immediately.
- Work to make improvements in productivity and other key priorities.
For the Leadership Team:
- Help support and ease the new leader’s transition.
- Clearly define all new roles and responsibilities for the executive and the team.
- Determine the best methods of feedback and communication to the leadership team.
- Help with conflict resolution if needed.
- Find ways to boost morale for the new leader and the company.
With the right methods in place, your company can have a positive experience during its next leadership change, and emerge with a positive outlook on the future. That’s Good HR can help facilitate this change in your organization — from succession planning and retirement to finding a new leader and helping with the transition. It’s part of our consulting services side of the business called HRology. Contact us if you’re looking to plan a leadership change in the near future, and we’ll help you work through the process.
