The appointment of a new leader carries real risks both for the company and for the appointee. New appointments are, of necessity, a journey into the unknown, yet the new leader is expected to rapidly take up the mantle and immediately deliver results. The risk is exacerbated when the appointee has been “headhunted” into the company. He or she must build an understanding of the values and behaviors of the new company from scratch, and establish credibility without the benefit of internal influence.

He or she may even face antagonism or resistance from within the team all of which contribute to a challenge in building effective relationships which are key to success as a leader. This is not just a challenge for the inexperienced.  Even the most capable and astute new leader will have to deal with these issues. In fact, what has made the individual successful in his/her previous job does not guarantee the individual’s success in the new role. Transition coaching for newly appointed leaders will deal with issues of integration in a structured and deliberate way. Role confusion, ineffective peer relationships, lack of internal political skills, and failure to meet key objectives are cited as the four strongest predictors of new leader derailment.

Transition coaching will reduce the risk of a new leader inadvertently creating a bad impression or making a critical mistake as they find their way into the role and will enable them to become more quickly productive. Considering the total cost of recruiting a new leader, and the even greater cost of a failed appointment; transition coaching is an essential investment that will increase the likelihood of success while reducing the time taken for the appointment to yield the desired results. The process will be customized through preliminary meetings with the new leader, the new leader’s line manager, and a representative from HR. Frequent coaching sessions will address the issues identified.  Follow-up meetings will also be held with the line manager to check progress and alignment with organizational needs. Change Partners offers transition coaching to new leaders through programs individually tailored for newly appointed managers and executives.