Case Study:

Executive Onboarding and Assimilation

Situation

A high profile, talented, female senior executive with exceptional capabilities in the engineering and business worlds had experienced distinguished success in a hierarchical, highly autonomous and ego-driven work environment. She was recruited to another organization, and needed to assimilate into an environment that is matrix in nature, demanding yet respectful, where persuading is valued over dictating and whose culture downplays individual distinction while emphasizing business results.

Hyde & Lichter was asked to help prepare her for a critical position by accelerating her understanding of and adjustment to the new organizational culture. Her goals were to stabilize and turn around a historically struggling business.

Client Solution

  • A kick-off meeting with the new leader, the firm’s HR executive and business executive sponsor was held to both clarify and build an actionable, measurable plan towards:
    • Role
      focus, priorities, expectations
    • Relationships
      boss, key customers, other stakeholders
    • Culture
      nature of the industry, company beliefs about business/processes
    • Early Wins
      work to get involved in immediately, how to make contributions to others’ success
    • Mentors
      to support key development areas and be cultural guides
  • Monthly meetings between the new leader and business executive sponsor were established to create a forum for updates, coaching and guidance.
  • There were quarterly meetings (for a full year) with the business executive sponsor and new leader to review progress to date, future action steps to be taken, goal achievement metrics and resources for getting it done. Prior to each meeting, data were gathered to collect a range of perspectives regarding her progress to date (team, culture, business objectives, etc.).

Outcome

The executive has been able to blend into the overall organizational culture and yet hold true to her individual nature and leadership style. She had early success turning around a predominantly R & D oriented group, and focused them on getting product to market, which has led to new contracts with key customers.