Starting a Leadership Role is Product Management

George Bradt, Chairman of Prime Genesis, shares what new leaders need to do to achieve results and how to create an experiment-driven company culture.

According to this week’s guest, George Bradt, 40% of new leaders fail in their first 18 months. This is a startling statistic, particularly when you consider the costs for both the leader and the company when things don’t work out.

George has a wealth of experience advising new leaders on how to start a leadership role. He’s held leadership positions at Unilever, Procter and Gamble, Coca Cola and J.D. Power and Associates, and advised senior executives at some of the world’s largest companies.

I started by asking him about the difference between a leadership role and a management role.

“Leaders influence and managers direct,” George says. More specifically, leaders focus on what matters and why and leaders focus on how to get things done.

George then shared his four pillars of a successful onboarding plan:

1. Get a head start
2. Manage the message
3. Set direction and build the team
4. Sustain momentum and deliver results

I was fascinated by George’s recommendations to set up meetings with key stakeholders before even starting the job, develop a plan by listening and learning, and do something on your first day that shows you’re living that plan.

Here are the highlights:

• George breaks down the most common reasons why new leaders fail (4:20)
• George explains how being a leader differs from being a manager (6:40)
• George recommends four things every new leader during onboarding (8:50)
• George explains how leaders can start building relationships with key stakeholders through pre-start meetings (10:55)
• George provides insight into how leaders should “manage their message” (13:45)
• George shares best practices for creating a culture of experimentation and innovation (17:10)
• George describes the best ways to build a high-performing team (20:20)