As a new CEO, it's not uncommon to feel the need to swoop in and set to work fixing a dysfunctional organization. But it's easy to take it too far, and many leaders have made the mistake of isolating key stakeholders, such as board members, while the transformation is under way.

 

It is the job of the CEO to build two-way trust and respect with all stakeholders. Here are some tips:

 

 

 

Related book: The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels This earnest guide to career transition periods, when a new job or promotion puts an employee in an unfamiliar role, reassuringly asserts that navigating the all-important first 90 days is a "teachable skill." Business professor Watkins lays out a "standard framework" for leadership transitions, based on "five fundamental propositions," "ten key challenges," and a four-fold typology of situations that new managers find themselves in. Fortunately, Watkins balances the theorizing with practical steps managers can take to get on top of things and initiate changes. His systematized approach to thinking will help panicky executives keep their wits about them.