Understand, Plan, Act

I am developing an onboarding approach for people starting in a new role, or kicking off a new project. There are 4 basic stages:

Understand (done by day 30) Know your strengths and weaknesses. Look to www.marcusbuckingham.com for more on strengths. Repack your management bags. As Marshall Goldsmith, a great executive coach says, "What got you here won't get you there." Understand, map, know the organizational context. Not just what are your objectives, but what are your manager's objectives? What are the top 3 initiatives for the organization next year. Align your personal path with that of the organization.

Plan (done by day 60) Once you know your strengths and objectives (aka the baseline), develop a clear plan toward your goal. Build in milestone so you can assess your progress at least monthly, ideally weekly. Have a coach, mentor or supervisor who can help you look at your progress and provide feedback. Know how you will engage all your stakeholders. Have a plan for knowing how well you are meeting the needs of your boss, peers, employees, and patients.

Act (in process by day 90) This is where you start implementing your well thought out plan. This is where you start not just engaging the stakeholders but holding them accountable for delivery. Remember, no plan survives first contact so think agile and nimble as you move forward. Accept feedback. Say Thank you. And change. Charles Darwin did not write about survival of the fittest, but rather of the most adaptable.

Last, Sustain (by day 100) Keep in going. Keep the lines of communication open. Improve your skills. Challenge your stakeholders. The goal here is that people shift from knowing the motions to knowing the motives; from being compliant to being committed.

My experience is that if you want to move forward faster you need to stop. Survey the environment and yourself. Check your map and your course. Now, move forward quickly remembering to adjust your pace to the terrain.

Good Luck!