The first 3 months in a new leadership position are an extremely important time to learn about a company’s culture and critical issues, build relations with peers and senior leaders, ready to make decisions that will provide a solid foundation for the future. This includes people, financial, and other mission critical matters. In the first 100 days, you have to make your mark. In that period, you need to identify an inspiring vision, because if you want to lead, as opposed to executing the visions of others, you do need to develop quickly with a story that your reports can identify with and start to deliver.

1. Plan the first 100 days before your start date

Use the interview process to understand organizational dynamics and expectations. Ensure you see all stakeholders of influence, particularly corporate directors, to form a view of the organisation. Research, investigate and where possible talk discretely with other stakeholders to obtain a fuller perspective. Start building a hypothesis of your strategy for establishing your leadership role and influence.

2. Clarify your mandate

Understand what is expected of you and how you will be measured with regard to business capabilities, targets, performance levels levels, and projects to handle. Set out your “strategic posture”—for instance, empha¬sizing your role as a driver or enabler of strategy. Agree clear expectations with the CEO and other stakeholders on the levers that you must have control over. Enlist CEO support for early actions, for instance, managing a high-profile project or replacing an underperforming executive.

3. Build relationships with business unit executives and agree upon priorities

You only get one opportunity to make a strong first impression, so prepare for these meetings well. Get input from members of your team who know the executives you’re meeting. Learn as much as possible about their priorities and concerns up front. Form a hypothesis of the likely answers, and test and refine them in every discussion. Develop alliances across the group. Set meet¬ings with business unit heads and other key executives. Focus on the business imperatives that your role can enable or transform with regard to, for example, channels, customer relations, and products. Set the tone for peer relationships and manage conversations about executives’ concerns. Challenge current priorities and plans when appropriate. Educate others when necessary.

4. Understand the upside and downside

Understand the specific role of technology in the industry and how it creates value. Study the best and most admired users of technology in your industry. What do they do that your company does not? Ensure that an IT-enabled innovation pipeline is in place. Start building this capability if needed. Make sure you understand the IT-driven risks in the organization, for instance, regarding cybersecurity and large, ongoing programs that might not deliver on expectations. See to it that regular review and mitigation plans are in place.

5. Develop the plan

Create transparency on performance and health. Develop a fact base not only on IT performance—for instance, cost levels, service levels, head count, and key projects—but also on IT health with regard to architecture, capabilities, culture, and delivery. Understand your technical assets and bench¬mark them against best practice. Consider technological discontinuities, such as cloud computing, mobility, and social media, and study how you can leverage them. Choose levers selectively. There are many levers for improving IT, but the most effective transformations focus on just a handful. Sequence improvements to build capabilities. Partner or outsource where required to fill capability deficits, but make sure to develop internal capabilities as part of the plan.

6. Build your team

Start with organizational design. Incumbent team members might be effective in their current roles but not in a new structure. Aim high. Sketch out the profiles of your “dream team” rather than shuffling existing players. Take some risks. Consider a range of options, for example, external hires and transfers from business roles. Promote unrecognized high performers. Be aware that you will send a strong signal through your choices. Test them with trusted colleagues. Act decisively and swiftly.

7. Demonstrate leadership through visible results and actions

Find some quick wins. Assess the project portfolio and the business benefits it delivers: Which projects must be addressed because they are not aligned with business priorities, have no clear business case, or have made no visible progress in a specific time period? Which projects must get extra resources, for example, because of a mismatch between requirements and resources, to deliver results on time? Which projects must be re-scoped to meet a critical milestone for the business? Respond thoughtfully to potential “roadblocks” in the organization. Initiate change where barriers appear to be being created, and manage your initial response will shape how you are perceived.

8. Continue your development journey

Invest in yourself. Recognize that a new role brings a need for new skills and behaviours. Set an agenda for personal development. Educate yourself in the business areas you know less well. Draw on internal and external sources to learn the business fundamentals. Search out developmental alliances or mentors who will help with your transi¬tion and support your leadership development. Internal mentors can help you with the culture and politics, give you honest feedback, and watch your back. External coaches are good sounding boards who can educate you about areas you know less about. Find sources of freshness. Industry outsiders can feed in new ideas. Pace yourself. The first 100 days are only the start of an uphill journey. Maintain a balanced lifestyle to sustain the momentum.