Week minus 3 – Securing Leadership Commitment
Week Minus 3
Securing Leadership Commitment
Your mission this week is about moving from preparation to decision-making. You must engage leadership stakeholders to finalise the foundation of the project.
Podcast
Click here to listen to two Coaches discussing the mission and tasks this week – with great tips!
Secure the Big 3 Decisions
Refresher: Before you meet with leaders, ensure you have reviewed the Deep Dives from last week.
Choosing the Focus for the 100-Day Challenge
Who Should be on the 100-Day Team
Decision A & B: Focus & Team
Facilitate the session (as planned in Week Minus 4) to get leadership consensus on the focus area and the team composition.
Decision C: Lock in “Day Zero”
You need a firm date for the Start-Up Workshop. Ideally, this should be scheduled 2–3 weeks from now.
Who is needed?
- Full Day: You (the Coach) and all 100-Day Team Members.
- First & Last Hour: The Challenge Strategist (to launch and close).
Tasks This Week
Prepare Challenge Note
Turn the leadership discussion into a clear mandate.
The Challenge Note is the team’s scoping document. It defines their mission and constraints but leaves them the freedom to determine how to achieve it.
Action: Translate the leadership’s decisions into a formal Challenge Note.
Guidance: Review the Deep Dive on Preparing the Challenge Note to ensure you strike the right balance between direction and autonomy.
Recruit and Brief the Team Members
Finalise the team and clear the path.
Once the members are identified, move to recruitment.
The “Air Cover” Check: If a team member’s direct manager was not in the leadership meeting, you must brief them.
Action: Ensure every manager approves their employee’s participation. Coordinate with the Challenge Strategist to handle high-level briefings if necessary.
Post Session Debrief
After the session, use these questions to debrief and capture insights:
The Shift: When did the room shift from skepticism (“Why are we here?”) to excitement (“This could be interesting”)? What triggered it?
Agility: Did you have to go “off script”? What happened, and how did you adjust?
Dynamics: What new insights did you gain about how these leaders interact with one another?
Trust: How would you rate the trust level in the room? Did it change as the meeting progressed?
