To successfully influence a new organization, a leader must first earn trust by learning and adapting to the existing culture. Attempting to impose change or establish one's differences prematurely will create resistance and undermine long-term impact. True influence is earned through initial assimilation.
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Transitioning to management is like moving to a foreign country; your identity, skills, and sources of fulfillment all shift. Success requires adapting to this new reality. Trying to operate with your old expert mindset will lead to frustration and feeling lost.
Upon joining Terns Pharmaceuticals after the former CEO's passing, Amy Burrows intentionally adopted a pre-existing cultural practice called "Share Good News" in leadership meetings. This demonstrates how a new leader can build rapport and show respect for a company's history by identifying and continuing positive rituals, rather than imposing a completely new culture.
When starting a senior role at a complex company, a new leader should formally contract a 'learning agenda' as part of their onboarding. Prioritize a listening tour focused on frontline operations and culture, rather than headquarters, to understand the business before implementing changes.
In your first 90 days, resist the urge to be the expert. Instead, conduct a "listening tour" by treating the organization as a product you're researching. Ask questions to understand how work gets done, what success looks like, and what challenges exist at a systemic level.
John Kaplan shares a hard-learned lesson: people who best integrate into new cultures first learn to "be the same" before showcasing their unique differences. Trying to impose your old ways or stand out immediately can alienate you from the team you're trying to join.
When transitioning between companies, even within the same industry, don't assume shared vocabulary. At Pinterest, the speaker found Facebook's ad terminology (e.g., "pacing") differed from Google's ("budget throttle"). Effective leadership requires first acclimatizing to the new environment's language.
Joining as a new tech lead for an existing team, the speaker built trust by forbidding himself from giving direct orders or rejecting designs. He instead embedded with teams and used strategic questioning to guide them, helping them arrive at the right conclusions while respecting their expertise.
Counterintuitive advice for a new executive is to first focus on listening, learning, and building relationships rather than rushing to make an impact. This avoids "change for change's sake" and ensures new initiatives are culturally aligned and well-informed.
To drive rapid change within the Department of Energy, Carl Coe prioritized building alliances with existing employees. Instead of forcing his way in, he spent significant time getting to know people and respecting the organization. This opened doors and fostered cooperation, which was critical for long-term success.
When transitioning into a new role, especially a cross-functional one like product, relying on a title is a weak foundation for credibility. Earning respect through informal authority—by demonstrating value and influence—builds a much stronger and more lasting leadership position.
