You and your team have worked tirelessly for weeks or months to climb the mountain: land the noteworthy client, or integrate the game-changing technology, or launch the award-winning product.
And you did it! Woohoo!
Everyone is elated. Emails of praise, maybe a virtual or in-person celebration, even bonuses might have followed.
As you sweep the fictional confetti from the floor, you ask yourself, “Now what?”
If you are feeling like the dog who finally caught the car, don’t worry – it’s normal. But don’t hang out in this suspension too long; timing in life, especially after a significant business win, is critical.
🗓️SHIFT THE FOCUS:
For the past weeks or months, you and the team have been building and now it’s time to shift your attention to operating. It’s a different mindset so demonstrate decisiveness and speed to transition the team quickly in the first week:
📅 Address team changes promptly. New teammates will enter the group and some teammates may return to their former roles now that the build phase is complete. Welcome the new and thank the exiting players.
🎯 Establish communications for the next set of milestones. Create a flowchart or timeline illustrating the transition from the celebratory phase to the operational phase. Show team changes, communication plans, and milestones in a sequential format.
🔄REVISIT YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM STRATEGY:
You likely built this construct some time ago and it’s time to review it with your key players. In the first and second weeks:
🔄 Evaluate the existing strategy with key players.
📝 Update outdated assumptions and details.
📊 Define detailed execution layers: task definition, metrics, ownership, and integration points.
🛠️ Develop a plan to quickly remediate any process, tools, or people gaps.
⏩EXAMINE THE NUMBERS:
Like the strategy, you probably architected a business case or financial model for this win. Within the first two weeks:
💰 Reconvene with the CFO and key team members to analyze financial projections.
📈 Adjust financials as necessary.
🤝 Collaborate with the Office of the CFO and others to align required reporting with the new client/technology/product.
Pivoting quickly after a substantial achievement showcases your leadership and adaptability and is imperative to transitioning the team while maintaining organizational momentum.
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