Onboarding for Success: Make the Most of Your First 101 Days

CareerCast - Life-long Career Development

Alexis Sermeno How do you succeed in a new company? According to Alexis Sermeno, head of organizational development, Americas at Abbott, it’s what you do from the time you say yes to an offer. In this CareerCast, Sermeno shares his global experience in consulting and multinational organizations, strategies to create a positive first and lasting impression, and his insightful approach for successfully transitioning into a new role.

Aired June 19, 2015

Alexis Sermeno is head of organizational development at Americas at Abbott. He's a decisive, motivational leader with expertise in strategy execution, organizational design, talent management, leadership development, and change culture business transformation. Sermeno has a proven record of helping companies deliver better and faster business results. He is a global trilingual leader fluent in English, Spanish, and German

Sermeno is a diverse leader holding positions in several fortune 1000 companies, including vice president of talent management at Highmark Blue Cross / Blue Shield, global director of talent management & organizational effectiveness at Kennametal, and engagement consulting manager at Katzenbach Partners. In addition, Sermeno was director of organizational development & strategy at McDonald’s Corporation, the director of organizational effectiveness at ARAMARK, and completed a Master's in Manufacturing Management at GE’s The John F Welch-Crotonville Executive Leadership Development School.

He earned an Executive MBA from the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business, an MA in Organization Design and Effectiveness from the Fielding Graduate University, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University.

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The New Leader’s 100-Day Action Plan: How to Take Charge, Build Your Team, and Get Immediate Results, George B. Bradt, Jayme A. Check, and Jorge E. Pedraza (2011)

Successful Onboarding: Strategies to Unlock Hidden Value Within Your Organization, Mark Stein and Lilith Christiansen (2010)

How to Win Friends and Influence People (Reissue edition), Dale Carnegie (2009)

Onboarding: How to Get Your New Employees Up to Speed in Half the Time, George B. Bradt and Mary Vonnegut (2009)

Your Next Move: The Leader’s Guide to Navigating Major Career Transitions, Michael Watkins (2009)

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Sink or Swim: New Job. New Boss. 12 Weeks to Get It Right, Milo Sindell and Thuy Sindell (2006)

Right from the Start: Taking Charge in a New Leadership Role, Dan Ciampa and Michael Watkins (2005)

The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels, Michael Watkins (2003)