The New Leader’s Journal: 100-day recap

Tomorrow is 100 days.

Thought I’d pause to recap what I’ve accomplished so far.

Got a head start.

Having a plan in advance made a big difference.  I knew where I was going.

Additionally, I’m still getting good feedback on those pre-start conversations.  My relationships with people I met before day one are still stronger than others.

The key relationship was and continues to be with Jack.  This started off well and continues to go well largely because we’re both continuing to invest in the relationship as well as in the business.

Managed the message

The message turned out to be a big deal.  The message itself was simple, “Our time!”.  But it guided all my questions and efforts throughout my 100-days.

At first it was purely hypothetical.  I was prepared to evolve it or throw it out as I learned.  Since it worked, I kept it.

Built the team

These building blocks made a big difference:

–       Got all aligned around a burning imperative by the end of my first month

–       Got milestones in place early on.  We now run those meetings like a well-oiled clock.

–       We’re on track to deliver our PR early wins.  I’m glad we picked something doable.

–       The role sort both calmed people down and helped them move forward

–       I’ve kept communicating at every step of the way.  It’s been appreciated.

Separately, David and his team are making some final changes to our investment marketing plans before I share them with my boss, Jack next week.  The 100-day process is valuable – but only if it accelerates real results.  These investment plans will form the basis of our next 100-week action plan.

This will be my last journal entry.  Hope you found them useful and that the insights provided will help you to inspire and enable others.Would also again encourage you to review the 3rd edition of The New Leader’s 100-Day Action Plan.


The New Leader’s Journal is a fictional exercise illustrating the prescriptions and tools in the 3rd edition of The New Leader’s 100-Day Action Plan.  Click here to request an executive summary of the book.  Click here to pre-order/order a copy.

Read More Articles

Two martial man engaging in a judo combat
Deploying Judo Strategy To Throw A Stronger Business Competitor

In judo, you do not try to overpower a stronger opponent. You accept their strength, side-step their thrust, and use their weight and momentum to throw them. My earlier article,…

Read Article
A rugged expedition vehicle drives along a long, empty road toward lush mountains under a dramatic sky.
Deliberately Stupid Executive Onboarding

Every executive walking into a new role is, for a while, stupid. Not incapable. Not unqualified. Stupid in the specific, unavoidable sense that they do not yet know what they…

Read Article
A group of executives in a meeting, getting to know each other and working together.
Succeeding Your Own Boss

There's a version of executive onboarding that almost never gets written about, probably because it looks so easy from the outside. Whether it’s the CFO succeeding the CEO, or the…

Read Article
Functional Leader Onboarding: Converge Before You Evolve

The fastest way for a new functional or operational leader to fail is to start changing the team before becoming part of it. The better sequence is simpler and harder: converge first,…

Read Article
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