Page 155 - Just Promoted A 12 Month Road Map for Success in Your New Leadership Role

140 Just Promoted!

In this chapter, there is useful information about the following:

■ Positioning the organizational diagnostic analysis within the over-
all problem-solving and transition management process
■ The organizational analysis process
■ The hazards of the process

POSITIONING THE ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS
WITHIN THE OVERALL PROBLEM-SOLVING AND
TRANSITION MANAGEMENT PROCESS
The analysis allows the organization to assess itself for the purpose of strength-
ening what is working, improving what is problematic, and correcting what is
wrong. Conducting a successful organizational “health check” is a key step in
the organization’s process of achieving its vision. This check usually takes from
several weeks to half a year.
As a general rule, by the end of your sixth month in the job, and prefer-
ably sooner, the data collection phase should have been completed, solutions
to problems and growth opportunities have been identified, and your plans
have begun to be implemented. You need to move fairly rapidly. You have
an agreement, which is ideally a part of your confirmed appointment char-
ter, with your boss or bosses, who expect that you are going to make
improvements. You’ve asked your staff to participate in self-renewal, and
they will expect that once the diagnostic process is completed, the analysis
and recommendations they’ve made are going to be implemented. You’ve set
up expectations that you will take charge of the process, and it is time to
move ahead.
The diagnostic process must go on while regular work proceeds. You will
hear complaints that both cannot be done together. They can be, but it takes
considerable work and committed effort. It is amazing what people can do
when they are motivated to make things better. Performing high-quality work
and completing the diagnostic process requires people to believe in what you
are doing. A diagnostic phase as part of a transition management process is