The New Leader’s Journal: Boss Buy In

The first conversation I had with anyone after finishing my 100-Day Action Plan was with my boss Jack.

CRITICAL STEP!

The upside of getting his perspective was huge!  The downside of ignoring him would have been equally huge.

He could have had one of three responses to my approach.  And I would have learned from either.

  • If he had told me not to do anything until day one, I would have surmised that he wanted to keep tight control of my onboarding (and likely everything else I do)
  • If he had told me to go forward with my plan as is, I would have surmised that he didn’t want me to bother him with details and that I would have to be operating more independently than the norm.
  • Since he encouraged me to go forward with the plan and had some good ideas for improving it, I’m feeling like he wants to partner with me for success – first prize!

Net, really glad I shared the plan with him verbally, in loose form so he could build on it.  Looking forward to getting on with the pre-start work next week.

Enhanced by Zemanta

Read More Articles

Group of executives planning strategies in a office.
Integration Leadership Isn’t a Detail. It’s the Deal.

KKR's $5.7 billion agreement to acquire Integer Holdings closed a strategic review that started back in April. The medtech manufacturer's board ran the process. Advisors ran the numbers. Lawyers ran…

Read Article
In M&A Integration, Culture Isn’t the Soft Part. It’s the Job.

Private equity has been on a buying spree. Bolt-on acquisitions, platform builds, roll-ups across logistics, healthcare, professional services, and beyond. Deal teams have gotten faster and more disciplined about diligence,…

Read Article
The First 100 Days Don’t Start on Day One. They Start Now.

When Infosys named Ashiss Kumar Dash as CEO-designate in July 2026, the announcement came alongside news that the company had lost a major European client - one of several large…

Read Article
A large crowd of people seated closely together, viewed from behind, attending an event or presentation in a dimly lit venue.
The Stakeholders You’re Not Thinking About – And Why They Can Derail Your First 100 Days

Cracker Barrel made headlines when its relatively new CEO departed after less than two years in the role they were hired to transform. The reasons were complex, but one thread…

Read Article
A person holding a clipboard with a blank sheet of paper and a pen poised to write
Outcome-Based Governance: Aligning Policies, Guidelines, and Principles

Policies channel compliance. Guidelines invite contribution. Principles earn commitment. Start with how you want people to behave at work and then design your governance stack to reinforce, not inhibit that.  Three…

Read Article
Concept image of human brain made of blue and gray paint brushes
The Neuroscience of Leadership: Accelerating Growth Mindset and Enterprise Performance

Organizations’ futures depend less on what their people know today than on how fast they can learn, adapt, and execute tomorrow. Building on Carol Dweck’s Growth Mindset – the idea that abilities can be…

Read Article