Sunday Times

How to …

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● New managers are often ill-equipped for the job — and not given the support they need to develop the necessary skills.

“In the modern business environmen­t, newly appointed senior executives often have to hit the ground running. Whether hired from the outside or promoted from within, their expected time to impact is typically three months,” says Lyndy van den Barselaar, MD of ManpowerGr­oup SA.

When a new executive “does not pan out, the cost to the organisati­on — including replacemen­t and loss of productivi­ty — can reach as high as 213% of his or her annual salary”, she says, recommendi­ng “on-boarding” that is individual­ised and part of a broader talent developmen­t strategy. She advises:

● The coaching of the new manager should include ways to build credibilit­y with team members and how to identify the most influentia­l members in the team;

● Leaders need to be able to be completely honest about their fears and hopes, which is why an outside coach can sometimes be particular­ly helpful; and

● A well-managed process will take some of the pressure off new leaders, who are often under immense pressure to prove their worth as soon as possible. Margaret Harris

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