New Job? How To Successfully Ride The New Executive Rollercoaster

That is what the most successful companies do.

Unfortunately, while best-selling books such as The First 90 Days might provide some short-term relief, they create a false sense of security with a quick-fix solution to succeeding in a new role.

The reality is you need to focus on Day 365 from Day 1. It takes one year, sometimes two, to fully integrate and be successful in a new company, but most companies only focus on the first two weeks or on the first ninety days, and then leave leaders, executives, and employees to figure it out for themselves.

You need to plan your perfect launch for your first month, first quarter, and in your first year.

New executives’ satisfaction with a new role and company is like riding a daring rollercoaster. You can go from “I love it here!” to “what have I done?” and “now I get it!” all in one week! For those in a new role take a look at my Executive Rollercoaster and tell me where you are today.

Understand from your peers and board what peaks and troughs you can expect and how to continue to lead and influence through them. The greatest risk of an executive leaving is during their first twelve months. Have you hired someone recently? Ask them where they are on the Executive Rollercoaster and what you can do to help them.

A strong inner circle of advisors, clear definitions for success, and a willingness to make and learn from mistakes are three ways to make sure you aren’t thrown off track.

In June 2021, as I was writing my latest book, a survey from Microsoft revealed that 41 percent of the global workforce is likely to consider leaving their current employer within the next year, with 46 percent planning to make a major pivot or career transition. I predicted then that by the time the book hit the bookshelves in January 2022, many of those moves will have happened, generating additional need for comprehensively supporting those new executives, leaders, and teams as they seek to be productive in their new role. So I dedicated a whole chapter on how to be successful in your first year.

Know someone who is in their first year in a new role? Comment with their details and for the first five commnets I will send them a copy of Words That Work as a gift on your behalf.

Enjoy the ride!

Dedicated to growing your business,

Val

P.S. I hope you enjoyed this week's VAL-uable Insights, sign up here to get them in your inbox each Monday morning: http://valwrightconsulting.com/newsletter-sign-up/

How To Use The “What-If” Game To Your Advantage

I just read a brilliant book that reminded me how the “What-If” game can either weigh you down or lift you up.

The New York Times best selling book The Midnight Library by Matt Haig is a fascinating read exploring one woman’s view of the choices she made and how it impacted her life during her moment of death.

I won’t say more to avoid spoilers, but I highly recommend it as a summer read.

If you have ever second guessed yourself, got stuck in the regret roulette, or wondered what would have happened if you made an alternative decision in your business or whole life, this thought provoking read is for you.

This is my favorite part because sadness, failure, or tragedy just isn’t talked about enough :
“There are patterns to life . . . Rhythms. It is so easy, while trapped in just the one life, to imagine that times of sadness or tragedy or failure or fear are a result of that particular existence. That it is a by-product of living a certain way, rather than simply living. I mean, it would have made things a lot easier if we understood there was no way of living that can immunise you against sadness. And that sadness is intrinsically part of the fabric of happiness. You can’t have one without the other. Of course, they come in different degrees and quantities. But there is no life where you can be in a state of sheer happiness for ever. And imagining there is just breeds more unhappiness in the life you’re in.”
Enjoy the read and let me know what you think if and when you read it.

…my fall 22 and 2023 calendars are filling up faster than previous years. Let me know soon if you are considering possible new work together so I can prioritize your requests!

Dedicated to growing your business,

Val

P.S. I hope you enjoyed this week's VAL-uable Insights, sign up here to get them in your inbox each Monday morning: http://valwrightconsulting.com/newsletter-sign-up/

**photo credit: julia poppa

Three Simple Questions For The Perfect Vacation Reflection This Summer

I usually send this to the CEOs and leaders I work with on the first day of their vacation. Whether you are on top of the French Alps skiing, lying on a Spanish beach, or road-tripping across Nevada, intentional reflection will help you return to your work refreshed and grounded. 

Here are the three simple questions I ask: 

1. What are you most proud to have accomplished since your last vacation? This can be your mindset, your habits, your relationships, or your business results. Consider your whole life, not just your work life.

2. What has brought you the greatest satisfaction and joy since your last vacation? Get very specific: ask yourself why it brought you satisfaction, not just what brought you satisfaction.

3. What have you learned about yourself since your last vacation? I intentionally frame this as “since your last vacation” so that the focus is on recent experience, not old stories and news. It is also a great forcing function to note the frequency with which you take vacations.

As a side note, I would love everyone around the world to embrace the European method of vacation, as it boosts productivity. Unlike some countries, the majority of Europeans take a vacation to actually take a vacation, not work from another location, explaining on every call or in every email that you are on vacation but just checking in, or monitoring email. I challenge each of you to make this crucial statement to your team today: 

“Vacation Definition: no emails, meetings, or any work.” 

Your team, and their friends and families, will thank you for it. 

A further way to embrace the European vacation way is understanding and embracing the fortnight concept. I am not referring to the computer game, but the European name for fourteen consecutive days. It is common to take a fortnight’s holiday, fourteen consecutive days away from work. Any European reading this may consider that I am laboring this point, but it is for good reason, because it is such an alien concept that sometimes you have to hear the idea more than once! 

Even with the recently popular so-called Unlimited Vacation policies, still in the US the time people take away from work is not enough. 

So add to your playbook prioritizing, taking, and role-modeling for your team the art of taking a long vacation where you do not work.

Enjoy your summer!

You can find this and other executive tools

for how you communicate and lead with purpose in my latest book Words That Work:

Communicate Your Purpose, Profit, and Performance, Kogan Page 2022.

Dedicated to growing your business,

Val

P.S. I hope you enjoyed this week's VAL-uable Insights, sign up here to get them in your inbox each Monday morning: http://valwrightconsulting.com/newsletter-sign-up/