Your First 100 Days

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Morning friend, hope your weekend was good! ☕️ 

As I step into the my new leadership role at Capitec Bank, I’ve been thinking how to make a strong start and set myself up for success in the long term.

I know I need a plan, and just like that, Hannibal’s classic line from the A-Team popped into my head: “I love it when a plan comes together”.

But what is that plan?

I checked out Michael Watkins “The First 90 Days”, and Niamh O'Keeffe’s “The First 100 Days”, and drew on their advice.

In today’s post, I’ll introduce 3 big ideas/phases for those first 100 days.

Each will be unpacked in more detail over the next 3 blog posts.

But for today, we cover them high level.

Grab your coffee. ☕️ 

Let’s chat!

Phase 1: Listen and Learn (Days 1-30)

The first month is crucial for for me to gain clarity, understand the company culture, and build relationships.

My primary objective is to listen, learn, and diagnose the reality of the situation.

Plan for Phase 1:

• Stakeholder Conversations: Schedule structured one-on-one discussions with direct reports, peers, and key stakeholders. Actively listen and ask insightful questions.

• Balanced Discovery: Aim for comprehensive understanding across all departments, not just your comfort zones. Avoid early biases by exposing yourself to diverse perspectives.

• Reflection and Note-taking: Dedicate daily reflection time to capture insights, identify patterns, and document early hypotheses.

KPIs for Phase 1:

• Complete structured interviews with at least 80% of key stakeholders.

• Identify of top 3-5 organizational challenges and opportunities.

• Document initial insights and emerging hypotheses.

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Phase 2: Match Strategy to the Situation (Days 31-60)

By month two, stakeholders will expect clarity on my strategic direction.

I need to move from learning to strategy formulation, outlining my vision and priorities based on the insights gained in Phase 1.

Plan for Phase 2:

• Strategic Narrative: Articulate a clear, concise narrative that connects your strategic vision with actionable steps. Test your hypotheses through dialogue to ensure buy-in.

• Leadership Cadence: Establish management routines: a weekly leadership team check-in, monthly broader updates, and quarterly business reviews etc. This will ensure alignment and accountability.

• Team Alignment: Clearly define roles and responsibilities, ensuring each team member understands their contribution to your strategic vision.

KPIs for Phase 2:

• Clear, communicated strategic vision and priorities

• Established and operational leadership cadence

• Documented roles and responsibilities for your team

Phase 3: Execute and Secure Early Wins (Days 61-100)

In the final phase, I will need to transition from planning to execution.

I need to demonstrate tangible progress, implement my strategy, and secure early wins to build momentum and credibility.

Plan for Phase 3:

• Execution and Accountability: Launch initiatives identified in your strategic plan, establishing clear milestones and accountability checks.

• Early Wins: Prioritize and achieve visible successes, such as improved operational metrics, successful project deliveries, or customer satisfaction.

• Long-term Roadmap: Finalize and clearly communicate your strategic roadmap, including financial goals, organizational changes, and communication strategies.

KPIs for Phase 3:

• Achievement of at least 2-3 tangible early wins

• Implementation of strategic initiatives with measurable milestones

• Communication of a detailed strategic roadmap to stakeholders

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Key Takeaway

My first 100 days will matter. A lot.

And they will influence my long term success in the role.

For me, it’s going to be about genuinely listening to my key stakeholders, and shaping my strategy around what I learn.

I then need to turn those learnings into meaningful results by executing on the strategy.

In the coming weeks’ blog posts, I’ll dive into the details of each of these 3 phases and ultimately share my full template for these first 100 days.

Lastly, at the end of the 100 days, I’ll post my review of how it went. So stay tuned to future blog posts to share the experience with me!

Hope you enjoyed, and catch you next week for more details on Phase 1! ☕️ 

Vaugan

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