Author Archives: Dr. Linda Reese

To Lead or Not to Lead? A Skilled Project Manager Weighs In

Our complex, fast-moving business world relies heavily on project management to tackle major bodies of work. In tech firms, many leaders are specifically titled as project managers – and this title is rapidly expanding to other market sectors. The Project Management Institute *estimates that among seven specified US industries the number of these roles will […]

Why Do We Perpetuate the Myth of New Leader “Fit”?

We frequently hear clients talk about how they want Newly-placed Leaders to "fit" their organizational culture. And if those same New Leaders who originally were seen as the best choice later derail, it is often then attributed to a "poor fit." But, rather than using "fit" as a throwaway explanation for derailment, doesn't it make […]

The Myth of the Flawless Outsider

Why is it that so many companies exhibit a strong preference for recruiting external hires to fill key leadership roles? Are these rational, data-based decisions, or are some decision-makers falling prey to hidden biases that could prevent them from placing the right person in the role? If so, then at what cost? Much has been […]

Culture Makes or Breaks New Leaders

Many in the business community agree that a leader’s success (or even survival) in a role depends on their ability to work within the operational culture. And for those transitioning into new roles, culture lies at the root of many onboarding paradoxes. New Leaders are often hired to make changes, fix broken things, “take us […]

New to Your Job? Don’t Let Your Rival(s) Drag You Under

Whether you are a New Leader hired in from the outside or elevated to a role, there’s a good chance you will work with someone who is unhappy with your presence. We call these people rivals, and they are important to your success. Regardless of their feelings toward you, remember – they hold key historical, […]

The OnBoarding Paradox: How New Leaders Prevail

When starting a new role, leaders often don’t realize that they will face what we call “the onboarding paradox” during their transition. New Leaders who fail to recognize and reconcile the gaps between explicit and implicit expectations for their navigation and performance allow the stage to be set for their own future derailment. In our […]

New Leader Failure: A Problem or A Symptom?

Many of us in HR and leadership positions have experienced the same perplexing scenario – found a great candidate, placed them in a high-level role, held lofty expectations, and then they failed. And we almost always have said it happened because “they weren’t a good fit.”Are we really that bad at sizing up candidates? Were […]

What Surprises Await? The 4 Dilemmas that Can Derail Newly Promoted Leaders

You’ve worked hard, paid your dues, and earned a promotion. Enjoy the moment and celebrate your success. Then take time to recognize that some barriers and surprises may await you. Never fear – these challenges can be overcome, if you can identify and properly prepare for them. Certainly you never expected this transition to be […]

Why New Leaders “Don’t Get It” And What To Do About It

After studying and supporting New Leader transitions for over 15 years, we have come to believe that it is always the case that the role and operation the New Leader thought they were signing up for are different than what they end up with.This understanding gap can have multiple causes, and can happen at great expense to the Leader and their […]

The Credibility Trap

Popular onboarding literature urges New Leaders to make their mark quickly, with impact, and gain credibility by generating immediate results. On the face of it, this approach resonates with many who are in the onboarding process. They want their employer to see them as an asset, and they are eager to demonstrate their value. However, […]

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