If you get hired or promoted to lead a new team,
Here's the playbook to run on Week 2:
Here's the playbook to run on Week 2:
0/ This week, we add 2 pillars to our foundation:
-> A threshold understanding of your business
-> More collisions to accelerate trust in your network
But if you missed the full Week 1 playbook, start here:
-> A threshold understanding of your business
-> More collisions to accelerate trust in your network
But if you missed the full Week 1 playbook, start here:
1/ No Sunday Funday
I don't work weekends. That's my policy.
This is a rare exception.
You need a headstart getting your head into this business.
And you will not have space next week. Your team will stop being polite.
That data you asked for, start sorting it.
How?
I don't work weekends. That's my policy.
This is a rare exception.
You need a headstart getting your head into this business.
And you will not have space next week. Your team will stop being polite.
That data you asked for, start sorting it.
How?
2/ Build a Map
Whatever your team does, that's your factory.
And every factory has 3 things:
-> People
-> Process
-> Technology
They usually have a fourth:
-> Projects (investments to improve the factory)
This allows you to...
Whatever your team does, that's your factory.
And every factory has 3 things:
-> People
-> Process
-> Technology
They usually have a fourth:
-> Projects (investments to improve the factory)
This allows you to...
3/ Start Assessing
List out
-> People: Direct reports
-> Process: 5-7 your team relies on
-> Technology: critical software
-> Projects: 3-5 big investments
Give each
-> Status: Green/Amber/Red/Unknown
-> Importance: High/Medium/Low
Priority: Get smart about important unknowns.
List out
-> People: Direct reports
-> Process: 5-7 your team relies on
-> Technology: critical software
-> Projects: 3-5 big investments
Give each
-> Status: Green/Amber/Red/Unknown
-> Importance: High/Medium/Low
Priority: Get smart about important unknowns.
4/ Manage Your Manager
They need to see:
-> You're trustworthy
-> You're competent
Can you do this in one meeting? Yes.
Trust:
-> Connect personally, conspire professionally.
-> Solicit her input on your map.
Competent:
-> Show her your plan to answer the right questions.
They need to see:
-> You're trustworthy
-> You're competent
Can you do this in one meeting? Yes.
Trust:
-> Connect personally, conspire professionally.
-> Solicit her input on your map.
Competent:
-> Show her your plan to answer the right questions.
5/ Primary Network
With your map down on paper, it's time to pick your head up.
Beyond your team & boss, there's a network of people you'll need to succeed:
-> Peers
-> Customers
Tip: Meet first with the 3rd most important customer and peer.
Why? Useful insight, lower risk.
With your map down on paper, it's time to pick your head up.
Beyond your team & boss, there's a network of people you'll need to succeed:
-> Peers
-> Customers
Tip: Meet first with the 3rd most important customer and peer.
Why? Useful insight, lower risk.
6/ Set Your Week
25% - Your team
25% - Your ranked map
25% - Your primary network
25% - Your space to process it all
Get clever with overlaps:
-> Clarify your ranking with a team member
-> Attend a customer meeting w/ your manager
-> Bounce your initial impressions off a peer
25% - Your team
25% - Your ranked map
25% - Your primary network
25% - Your space to process it all
Get clever with overlaps:
-> Clarify your ranking with a team member
-> Attend a customer meeting w/ your manager
-> Bounce your initial impressions off a peer
7/ Connect w/ Curiosity
Learning their names & connecting personally?
Keep doing that.
Asking for their input, perceptions & ideas?
Do that too.
And don't be afraid of the single most crucial question:
Why?
Close runner up: How confident are you in that point of view?
Learning their names & connecting personally?
Keep doing that.
Asking for their input, perceptions & ideas?
Do that too.
And don't be afraid of the single most crucial question:
Why?
Close runner up: How confident are you in that point of view?
8/ Look Back
Take 30 minutes to reflect:
-> What new questions do you have? Share them.
-> What interactions gave you energy? Find more.
-> When were you excellent? Seal some gratitude.
-> When did you come up short? Evolve your tactics.
And update your map while it's fresh.
Take 30 minutes to reflect:
-> What new questions do you have? Share them.
-> What interactions gave you energy? Find more.
-> When were you excellent? Seal some gratitude.
-> When did you come up short? Evolve your tactics.
And update your map while it's fresh.
9/ Avoid Traps
At the end of Week 2, your head may be spinning.
The team will clamor for answers, but:
-> Your opinions are uninformed. Share only questions.
-> You are not ready to make promises yet. So don't.
Send the team another Loom recap.
Slowly build your rhythm.
At the end of Week 2, your head may be spinning.
The team will clamor for answers, but:
-> Your opinions are uninformed. Share only questions.
-> You are not ready to make promises yet. So don't.
Send the team another Loom recap.
Slowly build your rhythm.
10/ Now Exhale
Expect a surreal mixture of excitement & newly forming dread.
-> Did I make a good choice?
-> What if I can't pull this off?
-> This is worse than I thought.
This is your imposter catching up.
It's 100% normal.
Remember: They picked you for a reason.
Expect a surreal mixture of excitement & newly forming dread.
-> Did I make a good choice?
-> What if I can't pull this off?
-> This is worse than I thought.
This is your imposter catching up.
It's 100% normal.
Remember: They picked you for a reason.
You may feel like you're still holding back in Week 2.
And you're not wrong. That's still the proper posture.
But you are no longer leading from behind.
You're now side-by-side.
Synchronizing strides.
Trust growing.
Your curiosity is more informed.
Your questions: sharper.
And you're not wrong. That's still the proper posture.
But you are no longer leading from behind.
You're now side-by-side.
Synchronizing strides.
Trust growing.
Your curiosity is more informed.
Your questions: sharper.
If you found this playbook valuable, let's run the same play.
If this thread gets 500 RTs, I'll finish the trilogy with a Week 3 playbook next week.
Here, I'll make it easy on you again:
If this thread gets 500 RTs, I'll finish the trilogy with a Week 3 playbook next week.
Here, I'll make it easy on you again:
We really seem to be onto someting here.
If you want to go deeper, join my free 30-minute virtual whiteboard session this Friday.
I'll workshop the most popular new leader issues live at 11am ET.
Register here: lu.ma
If you want to go deeper, join my free 30-minute virtual whiteboard session this Friday.
I'll workshop the most popular new leader issues live at 11am ET.
Register here: lu.ma
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