Feeling Stuck and Trying Something New

It was always my intention to reflect on my recent move around that 90-day point (although I’ve missed that slightly….), after all, the transition into a new position can be one of the most challenging periods in your professional life. 

After 15 years in the same organization, the adjustment period was always going to be tricky. The long-standing working relationships and familiarity were no longer present. All of a sudden you feel vulnerable and face the ever-present doubt that you made the wrong decision. Until you remember why you left.

A key reason for my joining the Elliott Scott Group was that over the last few years, I felt I’d stagnated. I had delivered HR requisitions as part of bigger teams, and I had set up HR Practices within established organizations on a number of occasions but recently I’d found that I was missing the energy and passion from doing what I know and love. I needed a change. I needed a spark.

The Elliot Scott Group was that spark. For the first time in what felt like an age, I had a great opportunity to broaden my skill set and further develop within the industry. Easy choice right? If only. After 15 years I could do nothing but question myself. Would I be successful? Would I be able to make the same impact I had made during my previous employment? However, my plan was simple. Hit the ground running, and set the standard early for the legacy I hoped to create within the Elliot Scott Group. 

After all, first impressions are hard to change! I’ve learned that during the first 90 days, it's important to accelerate your learning, secure early wins, and create alliances. But this time, I was also bringing valuable learnings with me from my previous moves.

I decided to focus on a few key areas which I hope will help if you are thinking of taking the leap into a new (and unknown) role:

The Role 

The role is centered around the management of client and candidate relationships both locally and globally. I also oversee the internal training of our team to ensure we best serve our HR community and continue to improve our way of work! 

A highlight of the role is the opportunity to work and connect with MDs from around the world who are incredibly talented and knowledgeable about the industry. Sharing information and learning from the best is why I took that leap of faith in the first place, and I feel very excited to work with all the brands in the group

The Business

Initially I am focusing on the Elliott Scott HR brand which focuses on my passion - HR recruitment. There are other brands within the group (Charlotte Frank, Yoctoo and Trend) that my role will support. However, I  had to think about how I was going to allocate my time and focus on quick wins to prove I could be successful, and therefore chose to focus on the largest of our brands.

The People 

I often say that for many, a job can be easy to find but finding a home is a lot harder. A key factor for me is the people. 

By understanding my own personal values, I was able to navigate how I would integrate into the organisation, what my challenges would be, and how I could enhance the impact the organisation is having on the market. What really enticed me was the opportunity to do something that would truly add value. I saw this as an opportunity to leverage my industry experience and employ my passion for exceptional customer service. 

The belief that I could deliver in a slightly different capacity came from Stuart Elliott our CEO and Emily Ramji, COO. It was important for me to find an environment where I would not only have a strong group of peers to work alongside, including those in our group functions and in regional MD’s (there are 9 across the brands!) but also a group of individuals who I could continue to learn from. 

Relationships 

Developing relationships within my role is essential and therefore building trust with my global stakeholders was my primary focus. As a global business much of this was done virtually, interspersed with meeting my colleagues in the UK face-to-face. Sitting within a group role, Operations, Marketing, and Finance were also going to be key functions and individuals who I would need to build solid working relationships with to succeed.  

I was also keen to retain the external relationships that I had built over the last 15 years with both candidates and clients, and I didn’t want to lose the opportunity to continue networking with (and building) these connections either. 

By the end of my first 90 days, I wanted my stakeholders, peers, and team members across the business to feel like something new and positive was happening. I knew my early wins would help me progress my deliverables and lay the groundwork for my longer-term goals. 

When I look back, has it been a positive 90 days?

Yes!

For me to be re-energized, I needed variety. 

As my career continues to mature, I’ve found that I best operate in environments where I can be close to the business and have a broad role. Having operated across FTSE, privately owned and PE-Backed environments I’ve seen a lot of great (and not so great); processes, onboarding, external documentation, personal branding etc and my new role gives me exposure to all of these areas. I’m able to approach my remit with a fresh perspective which provides a chance for me to challenge myself once again.

I’m extremely conscious that my transition into this role impacts other people and with a newly created role, there must have also been some uncertainty from if we are honest, all sides. 

The Role

We have already implemented some of my ideas for our onboarding and induction program and put a project team in place. I’ve also been able to use some of my creativity on our Development Programme materials. 

Ultimately, this role has got me back to being close to the heart of a business and I already know that the work I deliver will support the longer-term business strategy. It was important to me that the role I was playing would result in tangible commercial results.

The People 

Whilst I may no longer be the first one at the bar, (where I have previously built many a work relationship!) I do truly feel part of the team and business. 

I’ve also appreciated having a peer group from which I can bounce ideas off. Speaking to my colleagues globally has given me the opportunity to understand cultural differences in markets in that I’ve not previously operated. 

Relationships 

It’s not always been easy building relationships across different time zones but thanks to technology, I have started establishing some solid global relationships which I will continue to nurture. I’m also excited to have set time in the diary to meet many of our teams face-to-face over the next year.

Luckily, my external network has once again been extremely supportive of my move and my thanks go out to them for their continued support. Including those that I’ve leaned on so far, for advice and guidance on elements of my work to date such as our induction program.

Have I done all of this with a smile on my face? Yes mainly… and I look forward to seeing where the next 90 days take me! 

If you would welcome a conversation to discuss this piece or your next leadership move within HR, please do contact me. lb@elliottscotthr.com