Agile, entrepreneurial self-starters and risk takers — these are the kind of people sought by companies today. Ricarda is precisely this kind of person. She therefore chose to go into production management at a consumer goods manufacturer. After four years, Ricarda was recruited to build a new line of business for a major tourism company.
The problem is her colleagues. They do not understand her business and tend to obstruct her. Because she is being advised to pay attention to corporate rules, she wonders whether this company really wants an entrepreneurial manager with drive and initiative.
The Initial Situation
Most companies justifiably pursue a human resource policy that gives preference to internal candidates for motivational reasons. They usually resort to outsiders when the necessary know-how is not available internally. The problem is that the employees feel threatened by the competition of external professionals and especially by the fact that these outsiders often take high-profile positions in the company.
Typical Problems of the External Manager
The description of the initial situation suggests where the typical problems lie for people brought into a company from the outside:
•	The discrepancy between what top management expects and what the employees experience
•	Time pressure and the need to get to know the organization
•	The lack of an internal network of relationships
•	The pressure of the external manager’s own expectations.
What Can You Do?
•	Treat the performance of technical tasks and the building of a viable network of relationships as two equally important responsibilities from the very beginning.
•	Ask your boss whom you need to include and keep informed as you build your part of the business.
•	In all your discussions, remember the necessity of getting to know the organization. ■

《THE NEW BOSS，How to Survive the First 100 Days》