Writing in a recent issue of Forbes magazine, HR strategy consultant Dennis Zeleny offers some cogent insights on what CEOs need to do when stepping into a turnaround situation a la Tyco following Koslowski or Boeing following Stonecipher. Zeleny boils his advice down to six tips that apply not just to CEO’s but to any leader stepping into a tough situation. Here are his six ideas:
• Take the lay of the land
• Set the tone
• Get to the bottom of things
• Start calling the shots
• Be deliberate in sharing your progress
• Focus on business results
Implicit in these steps are some of the critical leadership behaviors in my research for The Next Level. Picking up and projecting a grounded sense of confidence, understanding the impact of your leadership footprint and demonstrating an open and custom-fit communications approach up, down, across and outside the organization are all key to successfully leading a turnaround.
