Three Key Tips for Managing Change as a New CEO

When a new CEO takes the helm, a certain number of doors and windows for managing change will open, for a limited amount of time, and then shut again. These are opportunities to change the status quo, move in a new direction, or even change the culture.

The reason these windows open is because a CEO transition is, quite frankly, a big deal. I don’t mean to stroke the CEO’s egos here (truth is, you’re not THAT important; it’s a system!), but we do put a lot of emphasis on that role, so swapping out a CEO is definitely a big change. And that means the organization will go through the three standard phases of a big transition: (1) letting go of the old, (2) dealing with a “neutral zone” as the new system starts to take shape, and (3) moving forward with the new way. “Letting go” is when the windows magically open, and by the time you’ve reached phase 3, most of those doors and windows have now closed.

So as a CEO, how do you make the most of this fleeting opportunity? Here are some tips.

Prioritize the Sequence When Managing Change

There will be a lot you want to change. Some of it will be operational, other parts might be strategic, and some will be deeper, cultural change. It will ALL seem important, but you know what they say: if everything is important, nothing is important.

So instead of evaluating the importance, focus on the sequencing. Sometimes you will need to get some of the operational house in order before you can tackle the cultural change. Sometimes, that might be the other way around. Remember, managing change requires your people to pay attention to what they’re changing, and too many distractions can get in the way. What can you take care of first that will give them the bandwidth to do the next step?

Wrestle the Data to the Ground

Data is hugely important to change initiatives. Telling people to change is one thing, but providing data that shows a compelling reason to change is quite another. That means you have to be disciplined and rigorous in uncovering the right data to advance your efforts. Make sure the data you collect is actionable. That boring employee engagement survey where people can tell you (again) why they aren’t happy is not going to cut it. Dig deeper so you can align the culture change you’re looking for, with what actually drives your success.

Be Transparent

One of the wisest pieces of advice I ever heard from a leader came from a Regional Director of a federal government agency (of all places). He said, “Tell your people things. Because if you don’t tell them, they’ll make it up! And I guarantee that what they make up is going to be much worse than the truth.”

This is particularly true during a leadership transition because your people just don’t know you that well, which means they will create stories to fill in their lack of knowledge. Defeat those stories with reality. Share what you’re doing. Share WHY you’re doing it. Be open about what you’re thinking. I recently interviewed a new CEO who was working through some culture change, and he was well aware that his behavior was under a microscope:

“You are trying to be very deliberate to show what your style is. That you are trustworthy, that you are listening to them, that everything you say you’re gonna do, you are actually doing. Because behind the scenes, you know, the staff is evaluating you to make sure you are truly what you say you are.”

They say managing change is hard, and that people resist change, but those phrases are frequently uttered as an excuse for why your attempted change failed. Honestly, I don’t buy the excuses. It’s hard, but doable when you are disciplined and do it right. People only resist when it doesn’t make sense to them, or if they think it works against their interests. So roll up your sleeves and don’t miss the opportunities you’ve got as a new CEO.