Leadership is never easy - not as a new leader entering a company, or as a result of an internal promotion or job change. The stakes in management transitions are very high for all concerned - for the new leader failure can derail a promising career, while for the company it can be a disastrous waste of time and resources, and jeopardise empowerment and equity initiatives.
Researching the concept of leaders in transition, Professor Michael Watkins of Harvard Business School found that in any single year in organisations in the US as much as 25% to 30% of leaders were in transition - and that there was very little formal research or theory to support leaders in these pivotal periods. How should leaders surmount the challenges posed by transformation, transition and succession? How should they work with a new boss, assess vulnerabilities, create partnerships, build teams? What sort of common traps should they look out for and avoid? How could they secure early wins and build personal credibility?
Watkins` groundbreaking research has produced theoretical and practical learning content to help leaders in transition. Exclusive Harvard Business School Publishing partner in Africa, human capital development group Learning Resources, has tailored the content for local conditions and has launched a blended business-focused solution of assessments, e-learning and performance support, case study material, classroom workshops, and mentoring incorporating Watkins` seminal work.
"Placing Watkins` findings in the South African context, where there are the additional pressures of equity and empowerment, the number of leaders undergoing transition in a company in any one year could easily be as high as 50%," says Ricky Robinson, MD of Learning Resources.
"How these prospective leaders manage their initial transition period will largely determine their success or failure in their new positions." In line with the mission of Learning Resources, the programme seeks to make a contribution to business success and to the transformation process. Robinson says it is common in organisations that someone placed in a leadership role is not given the guidance and mentoring so crucial to success, and soon flounders under the pressure. Everyone is busy with their own unique challenges and don`t have the time or the necessary skills and tools to assist. People need to be supported and equipped for success, otherwise they`re set up to fail. Ensuring that new leaders succeed in their roles should play a crucial part in business strategy.
"There is a direct correlation between a new leader`s success and the success of the organisation," he believes. "There is no price for leaders to get it right from the start."
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