Stand Out As a First-Time Executive - Lominger

HOW TO STAND OUT AS A FIRST-TIME EXECUTIVEAt some point in your career, you have probably been direct witnessto someone who was promoted into an executive role with highexpectations, only to quickly flame out. “What happened?” everyoneasked. This person had all the functional/technical skills requiredfor success, had never before missed performance goals, wasn’t atroublemaker, and was generally well liked. Why the epic fail?The answer, on closer inspection, is often quite simple. This person,while having all the tools to be successful in his or her previous role,kept applying those same tools despite the fact that the new rolecalled for something very different. It’s an easy mistake to make. Afteryears of hearing that you’ve got the “right stuff” and “just keep up thegood work,” you can get caught in a paradoxical rut of success. Thereinforcement and recognition that you get from doing the right thingsin your previous role can carry over so strongly to the next role, that theneed for a shift is recognized too late.The good news is that this outcome is entirely avoidable, but it willrequire you, first, to clearly recognize what separates the executive rolefrom your previous one and, second, to invest in building the skills thatwill help you navigate the transition.After years of hearing that you’ve got the “right stuff”and “ just keep up the good work,” you can get caughtin a paradoxical rut of success.The differences between any executive role and the one that precedesit will vary case by case, but decades of management research haveclued us in to some of the fundamental differences. Here’s a high-level,thematic breakdown of some of the critical and defining shifts that awaityou as you transition to becoming an executive.COPYRIGHT © 1996–2012 LOMINGER INTERNATIONAL: A KORN/FERRY COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.INTRODUCTION2