Becoming a leader of a new team is a challenge, even when you take over a perfectly functioning team from a very capable predecessor. Now, imagine taking over a team from someone who was a bad leader. This team has not only failed to fulfill it goals, but is also suffering from poor interpersonal relations which have increased conflict levels and stress. How can you handle such a situation for the benefit of all the people involved? This question was addressed by organizational psychologist Roger Schwarz in a recent article on the Harvard Business Review website. Schwarz recommends the following four steps.
Explain what you know
Talk openly about the fact that you understand how bad leadership has affected the team's performance. Do not criticize your predecessor, just let the team members know you are aware of their experience. This way you will also demonstrate a transparency of working which the team is probably not used to.
Be curious about more information
Ask your team members about the specific issues they faced which should be changed. Show that you want to make things better. In the first phase, do not criticize your team members for their unwillingness to change. Due to the bad experience, it is no wonder they resist quick changes. Your team will probably not be enthusiastic in implementing changes at first. Over time, however, your people will appreciate and accept the changes.
Be careful of a negative assessment of your employees' knowledge and skills
Do not judge your new subordinates according to their performance at the beginning of working together. It is usually more complicated than just saying that someone cannot handle his job. Knowledge and skills may be hidden behind non-functional structures and processes. Wait to assess the performance after implementing the necessary changes.
Explain your behavior
The bad experience with the previous leader can lead your team members to misinterpret your behavior. Therefore, explain why you are doing what you are doing. Talk about your philosophy of team leadership and clearly state what your team may expect from you.
If you think that you do not have time to follow these steps because you need to reach certain outcomes quickly, think again. If you make changes too quickly in the way the team is managed it will not bring quick results.
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