by Michael Simon, Executive career coach
Used to be that if you heard the term “on-boarding,” someone was leaving on a plane, train or ship.
Today, on-boarding has become part of the corporate lexicon and refers to the first 90 days spent in a job. For a newly hired exec, it’s the best time to establish the image of “executive presence.”
As the saying goes, “You only get one chance to make a good first impression.”
How you act and react during the on-boarding phase is critical. You will be observed and evaluated up, down and sideways. And, as any executive coach knows, it’s a lot easier to set a positive tone from inception than it is to try and change perceptions later on.
A new position gives you a golden opportunity to shine. Observe what’s going on around you, assess the situation, adjust your objectives, determine your needs and draft a plan to meet them … before taking any actions.
And right from the start, show executive presence by being the leader others want you to be.
Honest … maintain candor. Constructively deliver both positive and difficult messages.
Open … don’t pre-judge. Your objective is to listen, learn and understand the views of others.
Confident … a calm “comfortable in your skin” attitude. Never an arrogant “I told you so” stance.
Thoughtful and thorough … always reflect and contemplate. Don’t “shoot from the hip.”
Energetic and enthusiastic … a “can-do” attitude at all times.
Consistent … be predictable. Follow through. People react poorly to mixed reactions.
Accessible and interested … personally engage with all your coworkers.
The journey one takes in a new job begins on day one and those with executive presence travel the furthest.
Source: Executive Tribune
From August through October 2022, BCG and The Network, a global alliance of recruitment websites, undertook the world’s largest survey dedicated to exploring job seekers’ recruitment preferences—more than 90,000 people participated. This article reports and interprets additional survey findings and offers recruitment recommendations for employers.
Author believes that a more precise understanding of what exactly gives someone good judgment may make it possible for people to learn and improve on it. He interviewed CEOs at a range of companies, along with leaders in various professions. As a result, he has identified six key elements that collectively constitute good judgment: learning, trust, experience, detachment, options, and delivery.
Hiring has exceeded pre-pandemic levels in many markets and the shortage of skilled executives has put pressure in the increasing competition for top talents. If you have specialized and high-demand skills, for example on ESG, sustainability or bio-research, and a solid record of experience, you are well positioned to negotiate your salary.
