New Leader Assimilation Facilitation

What it is.

• For new or newly promoted executives
• Conducted in the first 120-days (generally within the first few weeks)
• Gathers perspectives quickly
• Designed to have the staff learn about the new leader, and the new leader learn about the staff and key organizational issues in just half a day.
• Supplements the one-on-one and departmental meetings the new executive will hold with staff
• Developed at General Electric
• Widely used at both for-profits and non-profits

How it works

• The facilitator meets with the senior staff to gather their perspectives and concerns about the new leader including:
  • What they want most from the new leader
  • What they want the new leader to know about them
  • The obstacles and challenges
• Facilitation questions are distributed in advance of the session.
• Information from the discussion is aggregated and shared with the new leader while ensuring that there is no attribution of who said what.
• The facilitator helps the new leader prepare his responses and attends the session when the new leader:
  • Addresses the staff’s perspectives and concerns
  • Talks about his expectations and his operating style