EDITOR ’ S QUESTION might also be a good idea to carry out a Q & A on internal communications to address concerns which employees may have .
On the following pages , three business experts outline the best way to ensure a smooth transition period , starting with Jonathan Sharp , CEO , Britannic . He said : “ Because I was already leading many of these projects behind the scenes , the process was more straightforward . My advice to anyone undergoing a leadership change is to establish a realistic timeline and become involved in the transition process as early as possible .”
He also emphasised the importance of transparency and clear communication .
Marten Mickos , CEO from HackerOne , emphasises the importance of the outgoing leader and incoming leader communicating well . He said : “ The exiting leader has an important task in preparing the organisation for the leadership change . Organisations often hope to see a new leader who is similar to the previous one . But that would be a mistake – a wasted opportunity . Whether the previous leader was highly successful or not , it will make sense to appoint a new leader with different strengths .”
Achange of leadership can make employees feel concerned and uncomfortable if the change is not handled well . There will be many questions from employees including how the new leadership will affect their day-to-day ? Will the new leader bring in many changes or keep things the same ? How will their leadership be different from the previous leader ?
It is important to communicate changes as early as possible and to keep a constant flow of information . It also makes sense to give out as much information about the new leader as possible , for example , their career path so far . It
Chong-Win Lee , CEO Asia Pacific , Logicalis , talks about the importance of having a plan in place . He said : “ Leadership teams should put in the effort upfront to create an environment where the new leader has a high probability of succeeding and should address any organisational dynamics or obstacles that might hinder their effectiveness .
“ This could involve addressing issues with organisational structures or processes or current business problems that need resolution . Contrary to the common practice of bringing in a new leader to ‘ fix ’ problems , it can be beneficial to clear as many issues as possible before the new leader comes on board .”
HOW DO YOU ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION PERIOD FOR A CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP ?
20 www . intelligentcxo . com