Some of the most critical times in a manager's career are at the transition points of changing job functions, moving to a different role within the organization, or moving to a new position with a new company. These transitions all require an immediate focus on the critical strategies that will help him or her be successful in the near term and lay the foundation for success in the long-term.

What actions executives take in the first six to nine months of their tenure will determine whether they succeed or fail. Timing, preparation, goal setting, and coalition building are everything.

Samuel R. James and Associates works with business leaders in transition to help them quickly understand and organize what they need to learn in order to be successful in their new role. We help them gain clarity on and direction to some critical questions:

• What are the company's goals and operating priorities?
• Who are the important stakeholders that will help them achieve their agenda?
• Which functional areas are in need of immediate attention?
• What are their strengths and weaknesses as a new contributor to this group?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of those they have been charged to lead?
• What “quick wins” can they achieve to build momentum and credibility?
• What are the competing political priorities?

We begin this process by conducting an intensive initial consultation – a one-on-one interview to quickly get to the heart of the transitional needs and goals that they must master in their first few months.

Next, we perform a thorough assessment of these executives and their immediate supervisor, peers, and subordinates. Depending on their level of experience and other factors that surface during the initial consultation, this assessment could involve a 360° feedback study, utilizing one of the appropriate Life Styles Inventory™ assessments or a Leadership/Impact® study. These tools provide us with critical data for differentiating the areas where an executive needs immediate attention from the secondary issues that could be dealt with at a later date.

Finally, after a careful review of the results, we set an action plan followed by frequent follow-on meetings to help them see it through.