Anytime a senior member of staff leaves a company, a certain level of instability is to be expected.
Employees who reported into that person begin to feel insecure about their future within the company and they certainly can’t be blamed for feeling anxious about a new boss, maybe someone completely unknown to them or the business.
Personally, I have been involved in a few managerial upheavals in my career and can attest to how unsettling they can be. People in the office begin muttering “she’s going to bring in her own people” once an announcement is made and rumours erupt about how the new manager is going to overhaul the team and introduce new and unpopular ways of doing business. Of course, such catastrophizing is rarely a good use of time and energy, but people will fill an absence of real information with their own fears.
On the other side of the fence, worse case scenario, is the new appointee who has been hired to come in and take the reins of a group of complete strangers within a completely foreign organization. As someone who has also ended up in such managerial positions, I can say that they are often as difficult for the manager involved as the team. I have had the opportunity to take over well-established, senior teams as well as having to assume a leadership role within dysfunctional units. While each situation poses its own challenges and concerns, there are a few things to keep in mind when taking on the task of managing an already-established, if dysfunctional, team.
Take charge without taking over
The age of tyrants and unquestioned top-down edicts are a relic of bygone times. Sure, these managers still exist but they are certainly rarer today than they were, say, 20 years ago. As such, a modern day manager needs to approach a new job in a firm but reasonable manner. Your staff will not respond well to someone who lays down the law in a heavy-handed and dictatorial manner. They are anxious enough with the notion of having a new boss that having an inequitable one will surely worsen things. Approach your new job with a sense of purpose but do so in a professional and organised way. Even if you consider them dysfunctional, to their minds they worked well in the past, and so must be given some leeway initially.
Audit the team
It is extremely important for you to fully understand the resources that you are inheriting to be able to make long-term staffing decisions. OK, auditing the team sounds terribly impersonal and harsh, but there needs to be a certain degree of detachment when evaluating your new team. Inheriting this team provides a new level of detachment. You certainly won’t have strong biases or personal feelings towards any specific individual or process. As such, this is a good time to determine the relative strengths and weaknesses of the team and to begin laying the groundwork for future departmental plans. If you feel the team or process is dysfunctional take time to find objective proof of your views ready to use this to explain to your staff in future.
Take your time
It can be very tempting to jump into a new job and make changes immediately. Yes, your bosses are watching and wanting you to make material progress quickly And it can be very appealing to try and fix issues that you see or your team complains about immediately. However, you are best served to hold out, take the time to properly survey the landscape and determine the best course of action for yourself. Without having a full contextual understanding, it can be easy to make hasty (and incorrect) decisions. I would strongly encourage you to spend the first several months at a new job listening and learning before making any decisions. Take the time to explain this to your management. You will find that you will be in a much better position to make big decisions once you have a better understanding of the environment and existing relationships. The company has survived the current dysfunctions a few more months won’t wreck the company and it gives you a strong base of evidence to support the change.
Establish priorities
Even if you are not going to fundamentally change any objectives or deliverables within your new team, it is important to clarify the team’s overall objectives and direction. With a new manager, a team will not be sure if their roles are going to change or if the department’s strategic goals have shifted. In order for a team to function efficiently, everyone needs to have a good understanding of their role but also have a strong understanding of where the team and organization are headed. This becomes especially relevant if any changes are forthcoming. Being open and communicative will ensure a greater sense of equity and support from your new staff. Even in the event of an unpopular direction, you will be better equipped to manage your team if you are up-front with them.
Avoid comparisons
Much like a second marriage, it is not a good idea to discuss previous teams with your current team. This practice can lead to feelings of inadequacy, insecurity and jealousy. It can also make it appear as though you are not fully committed to the notion of managing the team as they are and can be seen as looking backwards instead of forward. Of course, draw on your previous experiences as a manager but try to avoid making direct comparisons to previous situations. Addressing your current situation head-on builds trust and a feeling of long-term commitment.
OK, you’ve set a firm base to identify how you can take your once dysfunctional team on a performance journey. Over the next 5 weeks I’ll explore in more detail the concrete steps to take once you’ve established your role as a boss.