3. Identify the quick wins that can pay benefits INSIDE the business
So the new CEO has arrived. They will have certain top priorities when they first come through the door. They will begin determined to listen and learn, to work out who's an ally, what's broke, and what's working well. They will also be wanting to build their team around them, and to show that they can hit the ground running and to have made a real impact within their first 100 days.
Many CEOs will focus on the people, and on the numbers, and everything else goes on hold until they feel they have found their feet. It's not the end of the world if you end up in the 'holding queue', but really you want to be able to get into that first hundred day agenda.
No CEO is going to be approving bold and ambitious new plans or ideas in that early period, especially if it involves product or customer (unless they're ideas that are tried and tested in their last role). But equally, you need to be able to show that this is a key element that needs to be factored into those discussions.
So your short term objectives are two-fold. First, show that you can provide the CEO with some easy wins internally because of the company's sustainability programme. If you can show how much the firm's employees value its commitment to sustainability, and have something that is nearing fruition, then getting the CEO to launch / champion something is a great thing to be able to offer.
What's that? You don't have anything nearing fruition? Well, why not? You knew the change was coming months ago, didn't you?
An easy win internal focus is ideal. It meets the CEO's objectives - because it gives an early opportunity to front something that the employees feel passionate about. And there is no better training technique than getting someone to be a spokesperson for something. It is the perfect opportunity to give a brief outlining all the best business case reasons you do what you do.
Secondly, whilst giving early wins and earning some space in the diary for that first 100 days, you should be outlining how momentum is gaining ground so much across the company but that this could be a much greater asset with the customer than it currently is. You need early on to flag that this is a strategic and mainstream business issue for the company, not some nice-to-have add on.
4. Understand that it's not just about logic and strategy
If business decisions were primarily logical and focused on which strategy made best sense for a particular company in a certain market - well, no new CEO would change a thing. Because the strategy that had been set would be the right one.
But of course new CEOs change strategy pretty universally. It is about choice and preference, and - let's be honest - a host of other things that are not necessarily rational in a purely business sense.
A new CEO wants to build an effective business, because that's what will define the ultimate judgement on performance. But they might also want things that make them look or feel powerful, or compassionate, or clever. They will want things that show they are decisive and in control, or open and listening. They will want to feel welcomed and supported, even if their official position is that it's not important to them.
Great salesmen have understood for decades that you don't sell a product or service to a company, you sell it to an individual who happens to be the buyer. If they like you, if they feel you're there to make them look good to their boss, or to their extended peer group, they are more likely to buy from you.
You did realise that your job was internal salesman, didn't you?
Make sure, for instance, that you can show that great business leaders define their commitment to social responsibility as a part of leadership. Particularly for new CEOs that have not held the CEO post before. Most countries have examples - some like the UK a whole network of them - of senior and respected business leaders whose championing of one part of social responsibility can be influential on other CEOs that admire them.
And, at least, the example of the leaders of successful businesses that are committed helps to underline the point that this is not a distraction from core business, but something that is done by the most successful.
5. Get the customers on side in selling to the CEO
Ideally, when you know that a change is approaching - but certainly very soon after it has taken place - get some smart customer research that looks at attitudes relating to the most pertinent issues to your products and brand.
If you can show that customers expect certain standards from you - that they believe you are socially responsible and that makes them more loyal or, in the unfortunate case that's not what they say, why they feel disloyal - then you have a powerful tool.
Show why it is a benefit to the business to understand its customers as citizens, not just as consumers. Highlight some of the risk areas where a social responsibility issue might lead customers to turn away. Highlight the opportunity areas where you can build of more lasting, solid relationship with customers by meeting them on their values, not just their material wants.
Kaynak
An Article from Business Respect, Issue Number 171, dated 9 Nov 2010
By Mallen Baker
