When Ibrahima Souare took the reins as executive director of New York Professional Advisors to Community Entrepreneurs two years ago, he had access to his predecessor, Ken Inadomi, the recently retired and beloved executive director.
“While he was officially retired by the time I joined, because he continued to make himself available to the needs of the staff and the board, he and I were able to bond during the first three months of taking over the leadership of the organization,” said Souare. .
Souare used the first five months as an observation period to build strong relationships with his eight direct reports by asking open-ended questions like, What are your biggest challenges? And how can leadership best support your work?
“I focused on understanding the dynamics of the organization, meeting with team members, learning about ongoing projects and initiatives, connecting with the stakeholders we served, and meeting purposefully with each board member,” said Souare.
Despite the listening tour, there were a few hiccups. Some team members were resistant to change, and in hindsight, Souare said he would have implemented more structured change management practices with more training, support and team-building activities earlier.
Souare is not the only professional who stepped forward to replace a well-known predecessor. New Wheel of Fortune host Ryan Seacrest recently replaced the retiring Pat Sajak after his 41 seasons. During Seacrest’s premiere episode last Monday, he greeted co-host Vanna White, the contestants and viewers.
“I am truly humbled to be following in the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak,” Seacrest was quoted as saying. “I can say, along with the rest of America, that it has been a privilege and pure joy to watch Pat and Vana on our television screens for an unprecedented 40 years, making us smile every night and feel at home ours. those.â€
In February, Seacrest told Good Morning America, “I’ve studied the rule book, I’ve watched them do the show, and I just can’t wait to get started.”
“Hosting ‘Wheel of Fortune’ is a dream job,” he said. “I’ve been a fan of this show since I was a kid watching it in Atlanta with my family, and I know how special it is that ‘Wheel’ has been in your living rooms for the past 40 years. And I’m very grateful to be invited. I also know I have some very big shoes to fill.â€
Seacrest did a lot of prep and told Ginger Zee on GMA that he watches “endless episodes of Pat and Vanna.” We have played mock Wheel of Fortune games in many cities across America depending on where I am. At the conference tables, in the boardrooms, we’ve had makeshift wheels and makeshift racers for months just to slow down the game and slow down the pace and hopefully it all pays off.
This isn’t Seacrest’s first rodeo — he also had a tough act to follow when he started hosting Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest — and he recently told Zee the same lessons learned there are also valid here.
“Don’t make any changes, don’t touch it. This show works. All I have to do is keep it going,” he said. “All we have to do is have fun every night and I think if that happens, that the show will go on for a long time,” Seacrest said.
He’s not wrong – preparation is the key to growing quickly and making your mark in an established and visible role. According to a 2024 study by financial services firm Edward Jones, a business succession boom is on the way and 69% of business owners who have created a succession plan have designated a successor and are training and preparing them to active mode.
Even with the planning in place, the challenges are par for the course. Just ask Ramesh Srinivasan, associate dean of the CEO Leadership Program, Bower Forum, senior partner at global strategy and management consulting firm McKinsey, and co-author of The Leadership Journey: How CEOs Learn to Lead from the Inside Out. portfolio).
“Taking the reins from someone who has left big shoes to fill is no small feat,” he said. “It can be a tough act to follow” For new leaders, it’s about striking the right balance — knowing what you bring to the table while listening closely to stakeholders and staying open to the chorus of new ideas. Mastering these polarities is key to navigating your new role smoothly and charting a course for continued success.â€
Andy Challenger, senior vice president at coaching and executive management firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, agreed.
“No. 1 rule for new leaders is to over-communicate,” he said. “People are afraid of change. If they are angry, the underlying emotion is always fear, and this is something you can address with good communication and good planning.
Maren Perry, founder and CEO of leadership development firm Arden Coaching, advised against rocking the boat on day one.
“Don’t shake things up right away,” he said. Don’t announce your five-year plan to upend the entire department. Start small and don’t go after anything sacred to begin with. Add instead of subtract. Something like, “We’re going to add this brainstorming session instead of removing our favorite happy hour.”
While it’s helpful to have a transition period, at some point it has to end so you can put your stamp on things.
“If I’m coming into the new role, I don’t want to be in their shadow, I don’t want to be the replacement for the person who’s leaving,” Perry said. “I want to be the new leader of the team.”
Earlier this year, Nicole Joseph, 50, chief operating officer and chief financial officer at CM Law, took on the firm’s co-founder and chief financial officer, James Meadows, with a 90-day on-ramp to shadow him and gain the knowledge of his. for financial strategy, policies, procedures and observations. Then she had 90 days in charge before Meadows left. The new COO used that time to grow into her new role.
“As a founder, Jim understood the historical nuances that can only be picked up once in the role,” said Joseph. “I was able to direct myself using my expertise, creating custom solutions. I found the staff to be welcoming and appreciative.”
In general, it is important that everyone sees change as a good thing.
“Different doesn’t necessarily mean worse – it can be better. Chocolate and strawberry ice cream, both completely different, both incredible. And go in with that attitude. It’s a fresh start for everyone. She It was a great era, this is a new era. How can I make this era great? If they [staff] see it as an opportunity, they are already in a better mindset. Patience and kindness to all. No one likes change, everyone is in a difficult situation. We will all get through it together.â€
#working #legend #Dont #scared
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