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JWI 510: Leadership in the 21st Century
Lecture Notes
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 510 – Lecture Notes (1194) Page 1 of 3
Week 9: Becoming the Leader
The challenges of the first three months in a new leadership position can be significant, whether you are
becoming the leader of a team, a department, or an entire organization. A lot is at stake regarding
organizational effectiveness and career success – both yours and those of the people being led by you.
Leveraging a proven model will help ensure that you make a successful transition into the new leadership
role. This week, we will explore practical steps you can take to make your move into a new role successful
and to embrace the challenges the new opportunity presents.
Leading in the First 90 Days
Four common types of business situations must be understood for you to select the most effective
leadership strategy: startup, turnaround, realignment, and sustaining. These business situations can be
particular to a team or department, or they could apply to the entire organization.
Startups and turnarounds give new leaders the opportunity to start fresh. For these situations, courage is
essential because difficult decisions are often required early on. Realignments and sustaining conditions
present a different challenge. A new leader must quickly assess what to preserve because it is successful,
and what to change to move the organization forward. Once the type of business situation is identified, two
fundamental choices must be made:
1. A decision whether to focus on learning about the organization or taking action
In turnarounds and startups, the emphasis is typically on immediate action. Often, early
decisions will be required even without complete information. The new leader does not have
the luxury of a protracted analytical phase, and must focus on quickly identifying what is
needed to manage the tactical elements as quickly as possible.
2. A decision whether to proactively pursue new initiatives or to defend the current
position of the company
While the best strategy may integrate elements of both, a new leader must decide which to
emphasize initially. Of course, for a startup, the emphasis is on active pursuit of new initiatives.
In a turnaround, the strategy is to find the core strengths and work to protect them. For a
realignment situation, identifying new initiatives is important, as is defending the current
position. For sustaining an organization, the best approach is typically to support the current
company position.
JWI 510: Leadership in the 21st Century
Lecture Notes
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 510 – Lecture Notes (1194) Page 2 of 3
Early Wins
What comprises an early win is different for each business situation. Devising a clear strategy and forming
the right team are essential wins early in a startup situation. In a turnaround, it is also important to get the
right team on board, as well as to determine which core components of the business to focus on. In
realignments, because employees often do not see the need for change, an early win is building urgency
and buy-in regarding the need for change. For sustaining situations, the important early win is when others
in the organization know that you understand what makes that organization successful.
The 10 Key Transition Opportunities
1. Promote yourself – let go of the old, take charge of the new
2. Accelerate learning – focus on what you need to learn first, given the situation
3. Diagnose and match strategy to the situation
4. Secure early wins
5. Build a good relationship with your new boss – refer to Week 7 for ideas about how to do this
6. Focus on strategic alignment to ensure the business’s strategy, structure, systems, and capabilities
are aligned
7. Build your team – apply candor, differentiation, and transparency
8. Build alliances – review Week 7 material for useful approaches
9. Build your network – find others to help you keep your perspective and provide counsel
10. Support everyone’s transition to your leadership
JWI 510: Leadership in the 21st Century
Lecture Notes
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 510 – Lecture Notes (1194) Page 3 of 3
Your Leadership Journey
• If you are new to leadership, think about how to establish some early wins in your new role.
• If you are already a team leader, consider the transition traps that you may face when you are
moving from a past leadership role into a new position.
• If you are a senior/veteran leader, consider how you – and your direct reports leading their teams –
can embrace crucibles as poignant leading experiences.
