Executive Integration

The Executive Integration process by Farr Associates is designed to help newly recruited executives make a successful transition into their new organization or newly acquired role, yielding high payoffs for the individual and the entire organization.

Highly talented individuals newly, placed in executive positions, have huge challenges.
Typically, they are knowledgeable, high performing, goal oriented, and already successful. But even when you hire the best, these individuals have unique challenges that, if unaddressed, can lead to ineffective behaviors with the team (at best), and even to their failure to stay in the role very long (at worst), resulting in a substantially lower return of the investment made by the hiring organization.

Adjusting to a new culture for a newly recruited executive can be tough.
Executives moving into a role may experience one or many of these obstacles:

• Must get the job done in the context of the current culture using current systems and processes, which may be unfamiliar
• Must adjust to a new staff with differing talents, abilities, and personalities
• May not have a method for collecting and utilizing critical feedback about the job they are doing
• May not know how they are being accepted in the new role by people critical to their success
• May advance change too fast; may be reluctant to "push" when needed
• May be nervous about forging new relationships and being in new territory, and may be unsure about how they are perceived
• May unwittingly step on people's toes when trying to accomplish an initiative
• May be so caught up in the pressures and stresses of the role, that he or she is seen as too busy or unapproachable
• May be overwhelmed and not able to respond promptly when alerted to issues and crises

What can be gained from Farr's
Executive Integration Process?
Farr can help the recruited executive manage his or her impact in these areas and provide the best ideas and tools for a smooth, successful transition. The executive will receive critical 360 degree feedback early on in his/her tenure and work with an executive coach on a Leadership Action Plan to address these issues.

Everyone Wins
The newly recruited executive:

• Will experience a smoother transition into his/her new position
• Will have a quicker read on the culture and climate of his/her organization
• Will gain more confidence in the quality of his/her followership
• Will have established stronger and more reliable lines of communication with different reporting lines, to develop effective, more committed relationships
• Will get immediate, critical feedback in time to adjust for success
• Will have a trusted coach outside of the organization who is committed to the success of the executive

The hiring organization:

• Will have a more aware and informed executive.
• Will reduce the risk of failure or early turnover.
• Will increase the chances of greater ROI on the newly recruited executive.
• Will have access to a total organizational development consulting firm in Farr Associates.

Leadership Impact Study
Farr has designed a process to determine how the executive is performing in his or her specific role and what people's perceptions are. Peers, direct reports, and superiors are invited to give anonymous feedback that will improve the quality of the executive's merger into the current company culture. The interviewees understand that:

• The executive wants their input.
• The executive values and even depends on their input.
• Feedback will be anonymous so they can feel secure in giving candid feedback.
• The executive will not retaliate if he or she hears some "bad news."

The feedback will be shared with the executive and will be used to make needed changes in behaviors, patterns, and practices that may not be working in the individual's and in the company's best interest.

Coaching
Would your executive benefit from additional transition support? Does he or she inspire an atmosphere of creativity, trust, and positive action?

Is he or she confident and capable in his/her leadership role?

Farr's one-on-one coaching with the executive for ongoing support and learning results in:

• Understanding of self and how he or she relates within the organization; where do the perceptions come from?
• Helping the newly recruited executive deal with emerging challenges and responsibilities.
• Guidance in integrating competencies and talents with job challenges.
• Help in creating a Leadership Action Plan for: taking the feedback from the Impact Study, back to the organization, prioritizing recommendations for change, and setting up internal and external resources to support his or her efforts.
• Executing the action plan.