Michael D. Watkin is the author of ‘The First 90 Days.’ Sharing some critical strategies to being a top leader in a 21st century business, here is a look at some dramatic ways to reach out in your organization. Here is a look at some great Michael D. Watkins quotes to get you inspired.
“Aligning an organization is like preparing for a long sailing trip.”
“Because your path to the top will be built step-by-step through a series of major career moves. And each time you make a change, you have the opportunity to shine or to stumble.”
“Joining a new company is akin to an organ transplant—and you’re the new organ. If you’re not thoughtful in adapting to the new situation, you could end up being attacked by the organizational immune system and rejected.”
“Leadership ultimately is about influence and leverage. You are, after all, only one person. To be successful, you need to mobilize the energy of many others in your organization.”
“Mission is about what will be achieved, vision is about why people should feel motivated to perform at a high level, and strategy is about how resources should be allocated and decisions made to accomplish the mission.”
“Negotiate success. Because no other single relationship is more important, you need to figure out how to build a productive working relationship with your new boss (or bosses) and manage her expectations.”
“Onboarding checklists Business orientation checklist As early as possible, get access to publicly available information about financials, products, strategy, and brands.”
“Once people perceive that change is going to happen, the game often shifts from outright opposition to a competition to influence what sort of change will occur.”
“Recruiting is like romance, and employment is like marriage.”
“Shine and you will be positioned for still greater things. Stumble and you may never recover.”
Harvard book store display for #first90days pic.twitter.com/TeEnrc4wLE
— Michael D. Watkins (@MichaelDWatkins) June 14, 2013
“Start by checking off the types of transitions you are experiencing using the middle column. Then, for each item you checked, assess how challenging you are finding that particular shift on a 1–10 scale, where 1 means very easy and 10 means very difficult.”
“The correct approach is to start with the environment and then analyze the organization.”
“The index gives you a sense of the magnitude of the challenge and the specific dimensions of your overall transition on which you most need to focus.”
“The results of this diagnostic exercise should help you answer the following questions: in what spheres do you most enjoy solving problems?”
“This is followed by a meeting with the leader’s new direct reports in which they are asked questions such as, What would you like to know about the new leader?”
“Throughout the journey, you keep an eye out for reefs that are not on the charts.”
“To be successful, you need to mobilize the energy of many others in your organization. If you do the right things, then your vision, your expertise, and your drive can propel you forward and serve as seed crystals.”
“Transition failures happen because new leaders either misunderstand the essential demands of the situation or lack the skill and flexibility to adapt to them.”
“What is culture? It’s a set of consistent patterns people follow for communicating, thinking, and acting, all grounded in their shared assumptions and values.”
“What will it take for you to reach the break-even point more quickly? What are some traps you might encounter, and how can you avoid them?”
Michael D. Watkins takes some time to sit down and discuss how to navigate large career transitions and handle your next move. Shared by the Harvard Business Review, this insight will offer new ways to view your future potential.
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