Recruiting executives is just the start - integrating them is the crucial part

Many organisations assume that once a newly hired executive has actually started work, the demanding and often gruelling recruitment challenge is at an end.

This, however, is as short-sighted a perception as the idea that bringing a new computer system into an organisation is just a question of plugging it in and switching it on.

In fact, the job of integrating a new computer system into an existing IT infrastructure is notorious for presenting serious difficulties. As for executives, their integration can be far trickier, although this should perhaps not surprise us. After all, people are very much more complex than computers.

Executive integration means ensuring this smooth and successful integration of a new executive into an organisation. It has never been a more important task than it is today, when an uncertain economic climate combines with burgeoning new sources of competition to create an environment where the success rate of an organisation's newly appointed executives is a key element in its competitiveness.

Recruiting and integrating new executives into an organisation needs to be seen as part and parcel of the same process.

But don't most people naturally integrate or socialise into the new organisation they join? In theory, yes, but only in theory. In practice, recent research reveals that more than 70% of newly hired senior executives leave their positions within the first two years (Assimilating New Leaders, The Key to Executive Retention, American Management Association, 2001).

Furthermore, in today's '24/7' business climate it is no longer realistic for organisations to wait say, six to nine months for a new executive to get their 'sea legs'. Organisations need to take every reasonable step to accelerate the integration process and shorten the time lag between a new executive joining and reaching his or her full potential.

There simply is no alternative, either from a financial or operational perspective.

Proper planning and management of the integration process greatly enhances the chances of a smooth and productive relationship forming between the new executive and the company. In particular, the organisation should ensure that the following four measures, all fundamental to a successful executive integration, are pursued with rigour and sensitivity:

1. Examine earlier successes and failures of the company in integrating executives from the outside. A detailed analysis of these will reveal much about organisational proclivities that enhance integration or detract from it. It is especially important that in the proper planning of an executive's integration the following matters are resolved as soon as possible:

What knowledge must the new executive acquire in order to operate to maximum effectiveness?

What are the first actions the individual must take to maximise the chance of creating a lasting impact in the organisation?

How can the organisation successfully accelerate the new executive's understanding of its corporate culture? For example what are the organisation's unwritten cultural do's and don'ts?

What actions can the organisation take to help ensure their employees build successful careers?

2. Recruit realistically. The recruitment process often bears a surprisingly close resemblance to a romantic courtship. And just as in romantic courtship, there is always a danger that the parties concerned will fall in love with an illusion rather than with a reality.

A key difficulty here is that both parties are likely to want to believe positive things about each other and will often subconsciously look for confirmation of these beliefs.

An honest assessment of the candidate must ascertain not only the extent to which they possess the vital characteristics associated with the job but also specific and special 'integration-related' requirements essential for the smooth running of the organisation.

3. Be aware of a new executive's first steps and manage the orientation period. Successful executive integration is a two-way process. Other things being equal, the new executive will be well motivated to make the interaction a success.

The onus of a successful integration process doesn't only lie on the shoulders of the new individual. The organisation must play an active role in maximising the likelihood that the process is a success by committing itself to three key activities:

the person to whom the new executive reports must make the time to hold regular in-depth discussions with the new executive once they have started work. These should be frank, open discussions directed at gaining a real insight into, and an understanding of the executive's aspirations in the new role, while challenges and potential problems that are already presenting themselves can be identified.

the organisation needs to promote and initiate dialogue between the new executive and all those with a significant interest in the success of the new appointment. As well as providing an excellent grounding for the exchange of information, this dialogue will also help create a mutual bond of trust between the company and the executive.

the organisation needs to take steps to ensure that working styles are being aligned and are compatible. Sometimes a cultural gap will emerge between the established team and the newly appointed executive which may prevent or inhibit an effective harmonious working relationship. The solution here is for the organisation to encourage teamwork between the new executive and colleagues to harmonise style and objectives.

4. Recognise that the system is changing. Bringing in outside talent, by its nature, causes a change in a company's current system. The organisation especially needs to face the fact that bringing on board a new executive will create change within the company's status quo, with the turbulence of the change likely to be all the greater the more senior the appointment.

The organisation must ask itself whether it is ready and prepared to face a time of change. If it isn't, it should not be recruiting in the first place.

Many organisations have taken extensive steps to ensure that their executive recruitment procedure is thorough, intelligent, objective and aimed at meeting the organisation's commercial objectives. The process of executive integration also requires a similarly rigorous, thoughtful, results-orientated and humane approach. Such an approach will pay considerable dividends in the struggle for maximum competitive effectiveness.

Dr Robert Kovach is managing director of the UK office of the global management psychology firm RHR International. E-mail: rkovach@rhrinternational.com