Whether as a new CMO, Marketing Director or Head of department, the early days in a new company will set the tone for future success.

We’ve seen new recruits into leadership roles face some key challenges and of course when they are in key marketing positions the stakes are higher than ever.

Joanna Kane from Trailblazers has been an Executive Coach for over 12 years and has worked with many leaders.

Kane says “Some of these challenges include how to make the right sort of impact quickly and balance that with building new relationships and gaining clarity on the leadership priorities and taking action to establish some early wins. Add to that the challenges of navigating one’s way around perhaps very different structures, a different culture and adjusting to the reality of new role which could be quite different from expectations. Even exceptional new hires can struggle with uncertainty in the new environment and lack of clarity around expectations. All of this can be very challenging and for many it can feel like the pressure is on!”

If a new CMO or Marketing Director doesn’t win the commitment and trust of the team, doesn’t set clear expectations, fails to make a good impression on his/her peer group, or underestimates the power of the corporate culture then cracks can start to emerge early on.

Progressive organisations are realising that a well planned onboarding programme which includes transition coaching can have a dramatic impact on retention. Some investment and preparation at the front end can prevent problems later.

The costs of not having an effective level of support at the outset can be high. A study by Kevin P. Coyne at the Harvard Business School shows how changes in a company’s leadership can cause havoc. His study, conducted between 2002 and 2004, found a turnover rate of 17% in large companies. According to Coyne, a change at the very top can trigger significant turnover among existing executives: up to 22% for organisations that hire new CEOs from outside, and up to 33% for those that promote CEOs from within.

Companies invest a great deal of time and money in recruiting new executives. When they fail, as the statistics show they often do, the effect on the bottom line is devastating. Some estimates peg the costs at 200 to 250% of an executive’s annual compensation. That figure does not include indirect costs within the organization, in the form of lost productivity and diminished morale.

One option that can provide invaluable support during the first few months of transition is First 100 Days Transition Coaching.

Kane goes to explain

“Coaching is a process that enables the individual to achieve their full potential. It is normally a one to one intervention which is really aimed at supporting people in managerial or leadership roles who wish to develop their skills to their fullest potential. Often there can be gaps in an individual’s skillsets and behavioural competencies which prevent them from having the full impact they wish to have and from achieving the results they wish to achieve

Coaching focuses on closing the gap between where the individual is and where they want to be. It is a highly supportive and stretching process where the individual is encouraged to look at their behaviours and beliefs and to gain clarity in what might be required for them to achieve their maximum potential.

Coaching is particularly impactful as part of an on-boarding programme and can support the new employee

1. in getting up to speed and starting to deliver quickly
2. in establishing clear measurable objectives in the new position
3. in developing new skills/leadership styles appropriate for a bigger 
role
4. in creating early wins
5. in adjusting to culture differences

Sessions can be tailored to suit but it is suggested that approximately 3 sessions including some sort of sponsor input could be extremely useful at a time when the cost of failure is high in terms of the impact on many stakeholders.”

TML Partners provide access to a network of accredited executive coaches who are industry specialists. Through our unique F100 scheme (first one hundred days) TML provide all their placements with access to an executive coach in this period.