Page 221 - Just Promoted A 12 Month Road Map for Success in Your New Leadership Role

206 Just Promoted!

It is your pot to stir. Remember, your leadership, power, and influence all
count; use them.

8. Lead with a “velvet hammer.” The most successful transitions by lead-
ers seem to be characterized by the leader’s well-developed interpersonal, and
more broadly, emotional intelligence skills when they are combined with
behaviors that are tough and courageous. The interplay involves blending the
talents of helping professionals such as good listening, respect, and empathy,
with those characteristics of results-oriented businesspeople. It is difficult but
important to coach an employee, while in the next hour develop bold busi-
ness plans or discipline or even terminate a chronically unproductive mem-
ber of your group. This style is leading with a “velvet hammer.” It is being able
to show the best of your soft side and tough sides. Great leaders are simulta-
neously able to demonstrate their humility and ability to connect with their
people while also clearly being determined, resourceful, and results oriented.

THE BIG THREE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES

The eight behaviors and principles of organizational change work because they
counter the forces that slow or prevent change. Here’s how you can blend some
or all into effective strategies:

Strategy 1. You can add positive forces, norms, or actions to the work envi-
ronment where previously there was a void or unproductive activities.
Strategy 2. You can decrease or remove negative forces, norms, or actions
from the work environment.
Strategy 3. You can add positive forces, norms, or actions while reducing or
removing negative forces, norms, or actions (a combination of strategies
1 and 2).

Let’s take a closer look at these core strategies.

Strategy 1. Add Positive Forces That Were Previously
Absent or Too Weak to Help
Sometimes, something as simple as adding a valued professional or making a
change in work location or equipment can dramatically affect an organiza-
tion’s performance. One small company simply hired an expert technician,
which gave the rest of the workforce the confidence to pursue a certain line of