How to help a leader through the first 90 days

BONUS

Build a strong leader presence with effective employee communication

Eric helps Zara create a video message and draft an email to employees.

Eric encourages Zara to conduct a listening tour—a series of site visits to meet employees in person—and works with each location to manage the logistics.

Days 11–40

Eric sends a follow-up email to thank employees and conducts a spot survey to determine the tour's effectiveness.

Days 41–80

Support the leader to share the strategy

Zara completes her first month on the job and employees want to hear her plans for success.

When a new leader comes on board, he or she is eager to shake things up. But experienced leaders know they should spend their first months:– Learning about the organization– Developing an effective business strategy– Building employees' trust How can you help your leader get started? Use the leader’s first 90 days to lay the groundwork for success. Here’s how:

Days 81–89

Day 90

Introduce the leader

It’s Zara’s first week on the job and, while everyone has read the organizational announcement and knows who she is, it’s important for her to make a personal introduction.

Eric supports Zara with multiple tactics to launch her business strategy, including:

Town hall for all employeesCoffee chats—informal conversations with small groupsLeader workshops to enlist her direct reports’ supportLive Q&A session on the intranet

Outcome Zara holds discussions about:What she learnedWhat the new strategy will beHow employees can support the strategy

Days 1–5

Measure the new leader’s progress

For more information about employee communication, visit us at www.davisandco.com ©Davis & Company

Meet Zara, VP of sales Zara is a new leader who needs help getting acclimated to the organization.

After introducing her new business strategy, Zara wants to gather employees' feedback.

Outcome Employees have an opportunity to:Get to know ZaraUnderstand her point of viewHear her high-level vision

Develop an employee communication plan

Meet Eric, internal communication manager Eric is a communication expert who will help Zara reach, engage and motivate employees.

Eric creates a 10-question survey and distributes it to all employees.

Now that Zara understands the lay of the land, she needs a plan to keep the lines of communication open.

Eric creates an infographic to share survey results with employees.

Eric writes a recap article about the town hall and includes a quick overview of the new business strategy.

Eric develops an internal communication plan that supports Zara’s business strategy and accounts for employees’ demographics and preferences.

Eric creates a visual identity to build Zara’s presence and set her communication apart.

Eric helps Zara share the plan with direct reports and explain what she needs to meet employees’ needs going forward.

Outcome This survey will gauge:Understanding about the new strategyWhether employees believe the organization is headed in the right directionHow employees are experiencing leader communication

Eric develops a series of microblogs to share how Zara will communicate with employees.

Outcome Employees have an opportunity to:Get to know ZaraUnderstand her point of viewHear her high-level vision

Create a 90-day communication plan

Help the leader meet the team

Outcome The communication plan includes:Situation analysisObjectivesStrategies and tacticsMeasurement

A leader’s first 90 days are considered a transition period when employees are forming opinions about her capabilities. That’s why it’s critical to create a solid plan for the leader to familiarize herself with the organization’s culture and develop a sound business strategy.

To engage employees across the organization, Zara needs to step away from her desk and have face-to-face discussions.

Outcome The plan will help Zara:Transition into the new roleManage employees’ anxietiesDetermine the organization’s valuesPaint a picture of the future

Eric sits down with Zara to map out communication strategies and tactics for her first 90 days.

Outcome Zara accomplishes a lot. She:Meets with her direct reports and employeesLearns the businessDiscusses what’s going well and what’s notGathers ideas to help the organization

How to help a new leader through the first 90 days

Days 6–10

DAYS 6–10

Outcome Zara holds discussions about:What she learnedWhat the new strategy will beHow employees can support the strategy

Eric sits down with Zara to map out communication strategies and tactics for her first 90 days.

DAYS 1–5

Outcome Employees have an opportunity to:Get to know ZaraUnderstand her point of viewHear her high-level vision

Outcome The plan will help Zara:Transition into the new roleManage employees’ anxietiesDetermine the organization’s valuesPaint a picture of the future

For more information about employee communication, visit us at www.davisandco.com

DAY 90

Outcome Zara accomplishes a lot. She:Meets with her direct reports and employeesLearns the businessDiscusses what’s going well and what’s notGathers ideas to help the organization

Town hall for all employeesCoffee chats—informal conversations with small groupsLeader workshops to enlist her direct reports’ supportLive Q&A session on the intranet

DAYS 11–40

Outcome The communication plan includes:Situation analysisObjectivesStrategies and tacticsMeasurement

DAYS 81–90

Help the leader meet the team

Meet Zara, VP of sales Zara is a new leader who needs help getting acclimated to the organization.

DAYS 41–80

Outcome This survey will gauge:Understanding about the new strategyWhether employees believe the organization is headed in the right directionHow employees are experiencing leader communication

When a new leader comes on board, he or she is eager to shake things up. But experienced leaders know they should spend their first months: – Learning about the organization – Developing an effective business strategy – Building employees' trust How can you help your leader get started? Use the leader's first 90 days to lay the groundwork for success. Here’s how:

Meet Eric, internal communication manager Eric is a communication expert who will help Zara reach, engage and motivate employees.