Page 261 - Just Promoted A 12 Month Road Map for Success in Your New Leadership Role

246 Just Promoted!

■ Managing the pace of change will be a difficult challenge. Here are some
helpful hints:
1. Try to achieve the very difficult balance between the forces of stagna-
tion and overextending people, so that both the ongoing work and
the change process can succeed.
2. If you miscalculate the speed of change, err on the side of overpacing,
enthusiasm, and high levels of communication. It is much easier to
throttle back than to throttle up in moving an organization forward.
3. Be attentive and react as necessary to the business-as-usual mentality
that typically impedes organizational growth.
4. There are times to slow down or back off on the pace of change. Dur-
ing these periods, concentrate on the work at hand.
5. Keep your ear to the ground and eyes wide open. Maintain your
approach to solving problems through careful diagnosis.
6. Remember that what you gained in the year of renewal can be lost in
a few weeks if you allow old habits to return.
■ Toward the end of your first year, step back from your day-to-day
responsibilities to reflect on your new role. Review your performance,
get ideas and input from others, and determine how you really feel about
your job. Use the SOARING model as a way to view yourself, your job,
your family, and your friends. Remain in regular communication with
your boss; stay in his mental inbox; keep his expectations of you high.