Failure to optimise the first 100 days has significant impact on leadership effectiveness. A new book release points to the fact that UK business leaders are at risk of overlooking the necessary skills in order to lead a new team to success.
Author and founder of First100, Niamh O’Keeffe, works closely with senior executives across a range of global blue chip organisations, believes the ability to build and lead a high-performing team, within the first 100 days of an appointment, has become a critical leadership skill that is at risk of being neglected. O’Keeffe explains, “In today’s economy, shareholders and boards expect their newly appointed leaders to deliver performance from their teams from day one. Cost-conscious investors want a fast return on their investment and they don’t expect to make concessions or wait around while newly appointed business leaders and their teams play catch-up.
Speed as a competitive weapon has become an important part of maintaining corporate stability, fuelling growth and managing successful turnarounds. In today’s economy, shareholders and boards expect their newly appointed leaders to perform even better, even faster. Leaders need to set a clear direction with their teams and manage time and resources effectively. Leaders are expected to arrive, deliver maximum results and then leave for the next role more quickly than ever before. In global corporations, leaders are expected to be able to move on and re-create their efforts in another leadership role just as one has been fixed. Cost pressures have led organisations to re-structure, resulting in role responsibilities expanding. Leaders need to be even better, able to deliver more with less and motivate teams to deliver more, better and faster than before.
“Getting off to the right start should be a critical priority for a leader, however more often than not, fear caused by the immediate time pressure and urgent day-to-day tasks overwhelm the newly appointed leader’s best intentions. This can have a significant impact on the performance of the organisation as a whole.” In this latest book, Lead Your Team in Your First 100 Days, O’Keeffe provides a practical guide for leaders looking to demonstrate maximum results in a minimum timeframe. The book, published by Financial Times Publishing, is the ideal companion for time-poor, ambition-rich leaders looking to see results fast. It equips leaders with the appropriate leadership techniques and formulae in response to the challenge of how to lead a team in the first 100 days of a new appointment. According to First100, the first 100 days are considered an early ‘pulse check’ on leadership performance, as well as offering the opportunity for leaders to exponentially multiply and maximise leadership efforts and insights via their team. This time is also used as an early indicator of a leader’s future career success. O’Keeffe calls for leaders to pro-actively take charge of leading their teams to performance success.
