Elevate Classics: Michael Watkins, Author Of The First 90 Days
Jan 16, 2025
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Michael Watkins, a renowned leadership expert and author of the bestselling 'The First 90 Days', shares his insights on navigating leadership transitions. He emphasizes the importance of listening and relationship-building in the early stages of leadership to foster trust. Watkins discusses the emotional hurdles of succession planning and the critical need for adaptable leadership teams. He also highlights the role of strategic thinking in today’s fast-paced business landscape, underscoring teamwork and diverse capabilities as keys to successful organizational change.
Effective leadership transitions require recognizing nuances, building relationships, and achieving early wins to ensure successful adaptation.
Cultural change in organizations depends on leaders embodying desired values, as resistance from key figures can hinder transformation efforts.
Strategic thinking can be developed through practice, highlighting the importance of problem solving, aligning team goals, and fostering an open culture.
Deep dives
The Impact of Leadership on Organizational Culture
Leadership plays a crucial role in shaping an organization’s culture, as highlighted in the discussion about the importance of leaders embodying the values they wish to instill. Changing the culture of an organization often necessitates changing the leadership if the current leaders do not embrace the desired values. A compelling example shared illustrates that efforts to transform a family business's culture faltered when key familial leaders resisted change. Consequently, for genuine cultural shifts to occur, leaders must be willing participants in the transformation process.
The Importance of Transitioning Effectively
Navigating transitions effectively is essential for leaders taking on new roles, as evidenced by the anecdotes shared about early challenges in adapting to new environments. Michael Watkins emphasizes the significance of recognizing the nuances involved in transitioning, having experienced frequent moves during his childhood. He elaborates on the importance of building relationships and making early wins during the initial stages of a new role rather than rushing to implement changes. This comprehensive approach helps leaders gain a deeper understanding of their context and facilitates smoother transitions.
Essential Qualities of Strategic Thinkers
Effective strategic thinking encompasses the ability to recognize emerging threats and opportunities, prioritize them, and mobilize teams accordingly. The conversation addresses common misconceptions about strategic thinking, emphasizing that while inherent capabilities matter, strategic thinking skills can also be developed through training and practice. Key factors that enhance strategic thinking include pattern recognition, systems thinking, and the ability to shift between high-level concepts and detailed execution. Leaders are encouraged to create environments that support strategic thought and engage their teams in these discussions.
Mobilizing Teams for Strategic Success
To successfully mobilize teams for strategic initiatives, leaders must focus on structured problem solving and collective visioning. This discussion highlights the importance of ensuring alignment among team members regarding organizational goals and priorities, as misalignment can hinder progress. Watkins introduces the concept of political savvy as a critical skill for leaders, underscoring the need to navigate organizational dynamics effectively. Ultimately, fostering an open culture where strategic discussions thrive can enhance the organization's ability to adapt and thrive amidst challenges.
Learning from Mistakes and Embracing Change
Recognizing and learning from mistakes is a vital aspect of personal and professional growth, with leaders often finding value in reflecting on their past decisions. The conversation showcases how navigating through early career challenges and opting to follow personal interests can lead to significant breakthroughs, such as Watkins' decision to pursue work in transitions over negotiation. The willingness to make difficult decisions and embrace change often positions leaders for greater success as they evolve. This adaptability underlines the broader theme of cultivating resilience and strategic foresight in leadership.
Michael Watkins wrote the book on leadership transitions. He is a professor of leadership and organizational change at the IMD Business School and a cofounder of Genesis Advisers. He is the author of 16 books, including The First 90 Days, an international bestseller which the Economist called “the onboarding bible.” He is an inductee of the Thinkers50 Hall of Fame and just published a new book, The Six Disciplines of Strategic Thinking.
On this classic episode, Michael Watkins joined Robert Glazer on the Elevate Podcast to talk about perfecting leadership transitions, mastering strategic thinking, and much more.
