What I‘ve learned about transitions as a HR leader in transition with Diageo‘s Ednah Otieno

Whilst David´s background has a strong analytical base (a PhD in engineering), it´s clear that he´s energised by solving problems creatively and he has been willing to stretch himself throughout his career. David shared some learnings from running Lego´s in-house creative agency which he wants to keep in his new role at Brita; 1. be clear on what you want and then trust the creative process, 2. adapt your leadership style to give space for ideas to flow, versus trying to control everything. As the leader, it´s about asking the right questions. 3. encourage and respect diverse thinking. And his advice for anyone moving companies is to avoid making too many assumptions based on previous experience. Whilst its natural to seek to reapply what made you successful in the past, and to fit the new world into familiar frameworks, you should instead prioritise understanding and adapting to the new culture. Thanks for listening, and if you think this can help a colleague, please share.

When Judy entered the big corner office for the first time, “she felt like a 4 year old trying on her mum’s shoes”. But she is a fast learner who loves firefighting & high pressure situations. She was clear on the the culture she wanted to create, “how can it be better and what are we going to do to get there?” Initially it felt like a lonely battle but now it has been adopted by the organisation, it feels great. But the job is not always easy. Looking back at her ”sink” moments… it’s when she didn’t have enough in “the tank” to support the team or she was naïvely optimistic about what was involved in driving change through. And her reflections on what General management is about 2 years on… 1.The role is to facilitate everyone else to do a great job, it’s no longer about me. 2. Every day is an unknown, and some of them are a lot scarier than others. 3. The moments of greatest fear, are the times when you can make the most significant progress. UItimately, “so much of what I/we have achieved has simply been by being myself”. Thanks for listening, and if you think this can help a colleague, please share.

Matt’s sweet spot is taking companies from Series B to IPO, and it was with Olo that he hit the jackpot. He’s modest enough to recognise that “he served his time at the right time.” But this story of “overnight success” took 9 years, starting with joining Olo as employee #7. His story is all about people. 1.identifying the right ones, trusting his own judgement, and doing the proper due diligence. He never delegates a reference check. 2. How his selection criteria evolved over time. He no longer defers to industry experience or Ivy League educations but instead looks for bias for action and curiosity. 3. His contribution was knowing when to add structure and process, and when to let things run. Matt also takes about the magic of the partnership he had with the Olo’s founder Noah Glass, he didn’t need the title but he did need the freedom to make the call. And what next? Now he has the “external mark of success”… not a word about retirement. He is ready to go again and is as energised as ever.

John shares his career journey from a commercial operator to someone whose management mantra became “Deliver the present, create the future and create the right environment for your team to thrive”. His sink moment was an engagement survey in his second GM assignment, where he learnt of the gap between how he wanted to be perceived and how the organisation saw him. But he embraced that learning and has been building on it ever since. He sees the GM role as a combination of “getting the best OUT OF the organisation whilst getting the best FOR the organisation from the outside. And his advice for new GM’s, have the discussion up front with your boss on what success looks like, you might be surprised !

Matias views his career journey as a learning journey. And he is “all in”. His innate bias for action and ability to deliver whatever was required meant that sometimes “he was crossing rivers but burning bridges”. Now before moving to action, he pays equal measure to the “how” as to the “what”, and makes sure to “breathe in- breathe out” and do a mental map. He is willing to take risks and learn from the feedback. He believes that“ The best feedback is the one that hurts… because it helps you find your edge”. A recent example being his LinkedIn profile “Not a guru on anything… but honest, realiable and optimistic” which challenged some of the “title inflation” which occurs on the platform. Thanks for listening, and if you think this can help a colleague, please share.

A few highlights from our conversation which are relevant for any leader preparing to transition.1.Why you have to work harder to get to the unfiltered truth as you grow more senior in your career 2.When taking on a new role, her focus is on Earning trust, and you know if you have achieved it by the help you get in the public and private moments 3.She builds trust via vulnerability, by showing her human side even if some people think this can undermine your professional credibility. Thanks for listening, and if you think this can help a colleague, please share. If you haven´t yet subscribed, click on your favourite app.

When her move to Diageo GB was announced, LinkedIn nearly collapsed with the volume of congratulatory messages. So 6 months on, who better to talk to about leadership transitions and what can be done to support those going through them than Ednah. A few highlights from our conversation which are relevant for any leader preparing to transition. •For her the ideal transition plan needs to be personalised. It is up to the individual to “own” it, but support on “articulating the challenge ahead” has to come from their sponsors since the leaders often “don’t know what they don’t know” • She is conscious that she is a role model, which is daunting and energising at the same time • Her personal learnings are 1.to take time for reflection, 2. that we are more ready than we might think, and 3. that the more committed you are, the more you will get from the experience. Thanks for listening, and if you think this can help a colleague, please share.

In Ireland, Feargal needs no introduction. In August he led Tyrone to the All-Ireland football championship in his first year as coach, the first time in 14 years and for only the fourth time in history. For listeners outside Ireland, his story is equally remarkable and relevant. To put it in context, in sporting terms his achievement as manager is like winning the Champion’s League in soccer or the Superbowl in American Football. And it’s made all the sweeter by the fact that as player he lost in the final by the narrowest of margins. A few highlights from our conversation which are relevant for any leader. •There is never a perfect time, when the opportunity comes you have ‘to jump” •You need “to abandon the shelter of a #2 role when you take the #1 role” •In a knock-out format, “there is no tomorrow” so you have to achieve peak performance today •For inspiration, he doesn’t follow sports leadership gurus. He relies on his ability to read people gained from his daily work as a lawyer (Gaelic football is an amateur sport) where he sees people at their most vulnerable and challenged •Whilst reluctant to talk about his own unique contribution, for him the leader’s role is “to steer things at the critical moments” •Why it’s vital to maintain balance in what can be an all-consuming environment and how he stays grounded• And recognising that the joy of success lasts so much shorter than the pain of failure, he plans to enjoy it for as long as he can! Thanks for listening, and if you think this can help a colleague, please share.

With companies reviewing their work policies, not just working from home but also international moves, it´s a good time to consider the merits of expat assignments. Who better to discuss this topic with than with Graham who is now in his 3rd role abroad? Graham is the Marketing and Innovation Director for East Africa Breweries, Diageo´s largest beer market. Points we covered •How emerging markets experience has helped him get comfortable with volatility •How a “sink” experience in Indonesia when he found himself unexpectedly in the “hot-seat” was great preparation for Covid•The importance of seeking external support in a crisis even if the natural reflex is “to circle the wagons”•Why clarifying the performance measure in a crisis helps focus the organisation.•Why he is not afraid to recruit people who over-shadow him •And the question you have all been asking… is a double-barrelled surname an advantage or disadvantage?Thanks for listening, and if you think this can help a colleague, please share.

In a time where professionals change roles every 4 years on average and companies merge, get acquired and expand every day, there is a good chance you might become a boomerang employee. "Boomerang employee" refers to a person who is rehired by a former employer. Who better to discuss this topic with than an experienced general manager still in the critical first 90 days? Nick is the new Regional Director Health for UK&I at Reckitt. He started out selling Smarties with Nestle, a great first job, and he has worked in commercial and strategic roles with Reckitt, Vodafone, Coty and is now back at Reckitt. Points we covered •We started with the crux question – Why go back? – which in Nick´s case were about culture fit and chance to succeed •Formative “sink or swim” moments •Why General Management is the best job you can do, but that it can be a very uncomfortable “hot seat” when the macro environment is against you •How to mitigate the “grass is always greener” mindset by doing everything you can to understand the culture you are moving to •How he is approaching his transition/ onboarding/ “re-boarding” and the questions he finds useful in his 121 meetings to accelerate his learning. Thanks for listening, and if you think this can help a colleague, please share.