Arrival in a New Group

Get Outgoing Leader’s Assessment [1]

If you overlap with the prior leader, it may be helpful to get their perspective.

  • List of key contacts

  • Current hot issues

Caution
Be wary of unwittingly adopting the outgoing leaders’ preconceptions about abilities, previous performance and/or past mistakes of people in the organization you are taking over.

Identify & Meet with Organizational Key Stakeholders [1]

As part of your awareness of environmental conditions, identify key stakeholders and learn what they value about the organization that you will be leading.

stakeholder

A stakeholder is anyone who affects or can be affected by an organization’s actions.

As you meet with stakeholders, ask them to help "Bring you onboard" by answering some basic questions:

  • What do you believe this organization does well?

  • What do you believe this organization does poorly?

  • What would you change if you could?

Listen to them.

Internal Key Stakeholders

  • Your leader

    • Establish early relations with your immediate boss. Consider this the most important stakeholder relationship because it can: Open access to available resources, ensure expectations are set up front, establish a means to provide regular status reports, and provide the opportunity to present and coordinate your leader transition timeline. Discuss expectations, goals and receive initial guidance from your performance rater,

  • Peers

    • Discuss different ideas and programs. Don’t be reluctant to adopt others’ good ideas.

  • Direct Reports

    • Meet initially to discuss systems, processes, SOPs within the organization (how we do business here).

    • Meet with everyone you will rate. Initially just meet to introduce yourself. Performance development discussions should not occur until later.

External Key Stakeholders

Get a sense of who these are from your leader, peers, and direct reports.

What are the value streams from us to them?

Communicate Your Vision or Focus [1]

Let people know how you are going to lead the organization. When explaining your leadership philosophy, consider the following characteristics:

  • It helps your direct reports clarify your intent and style.

  • Make sure you are aligned with this company’s values and priorities.

  • It sets the tone for the organization. Keep it short and make sure it says what you mean. You will be judged by what is important to you and your ability to live up to it.

  • This is your initial chance to make sure your organization knows what you expect. You should state or even publish it soon after you take over.

  • Thoughtfully prepare and rehearse what you will say the first time you talk to your organization. Cover what you expect of yourself as their leader and those things you consider non-negotiable.

  • Be clear about your conceptual image of the desired future for the organization.

Make a 90-Day Transition Plan [1]

Plan your first 90-days.

The plan should be focused on the organization - not necessarily on you as the new leader. Focus on people.

Synchronize your transition events and activities for your first 90 days with the organization’s current operational rhythm (daily, weekly and monthly) and current calendar of events (short, mid and long range).

Tip
Take your time; organize your thoughts and comments. Everything you say will be critiqued by someone.

Build Credibility as the New Leader [1]

As a new leader in the organization, be prepared to be “sized up” by your direct reports as you strive to gain confidence and credibility. Credibility and trust are essential in your ability to influence and lead the organization effectively. Leaders gain this trust through open communication about ethical standards, expectations and exhibiting leader attributes and competencies expected of all leaders. The following are just some of the ways leaders can start to gain credibility early.

Determine Preliminary Findings and Initial Assessments [1]

Tip
Be careful of jumping to conclusions. There is nothing more disruptive than having a new leader who comes in and dictates personal priorities, objectives and intent on the first day, as they may be way off the mark from what the organization really needs in terms of purpose, direction and motivation.

Tour work areas within your area of responsibility. Focus on the environment.

Lay out the preliminary findings and initial assessment of what you have assessed from early observations. This assessment can be conducted informally.

  • What are organizational strengths?

  • What are organizational weaknesses?

  • What are organizational opportunities and potential initiatives?

  • What are organizational vulnerabilities?

  • Where must the organization assume risk?

  • What is the current culture?

  • What predictable surprises should we anticipate near and far term?

  • What are the top three things you would like to communicate to the new leader?

  • What are the top three engagements – audience and purpose – that you would recommend for the new leader?

  • Categorize responses to organize findings and try and tie them into your organization’s core functions (responsibilities), competencies, and value streams as a baseline – this enables the sorting and categorizing of the responses.

Examine how these initial findings may impact your organization’s vision (focus), mission, goals, objectives and milestones being developed.

Conduct an initial assessment as you take over a new supervisory or management position.

  • How competent are your new employees?

  • What’s expected of you in your new job?

  • Watch how people behave; this will give you clues about the current organizational climate.

  • Review the organization’s policies and procedures.

  • Meet with the outgoing supervisor or manager if possible and listen to their assessment. (But don’t take it as the absolute truth; everyone sees things through filters.)

  • Review recent status reports and recent project results.

  • Identify the key people outside the organization whose help you’ll need to be successful.

However, remember that your initial impression may be off-base. After you’ve been in the position for a while, take the necessary time to make an in-depth assessment. And in the midst of all this checking and rechecking, don’t forget to take a look at yourself. What kind of leader are you? Do you over-supervise? Under-supervise? How can you improve? What’s your plan for working on your weak areas? What’s the best way to make use of your strengths? Get feedback on yourself from as many sources as possible: your boss, your peers, even your employees. Make sure your own house is in order. Use the following table to determine how effective your group is now.

Table 1. Characteristics of Effective and Less Effective Organizations [1]
Ref No. Effective Less Effective

1

Goals are widely shared by the members and there’s a strong consistent flow of energy toward achieving excellence

There is little investment in organizational goals except at top levels.

2

To people feel free to signal their awareness of difficulties because they expect the problems to be dealt with and are optimistic they can be solved.

People in the organization see things going wrong and do nothing about it. Nobody volunteers. Mistakes or problems are habitually hidden or shelved. Employees talk the organization at home or somewhere else, but not with those involved.

3

Problem solving is highly pragmatic. In solving problems, employees work informally and are not preoccupied with status, territory, or second-guessing what the leader will think. The boss is challenged constructively and a great deal of innovative behavior is tolerated.

Egos complicate problem solving. Status of boxes on the organizational chart are more important than solving the problem. There’s excessive concern with form instead of the problem. People treat one another in a polite and formal manner that masks the issues, especially with the boss. Being different is frowned upon.

4

The points of decision-making are determined by such factors as ability, sense of responsibility, availability of information, workload timing, and requirements for employee development. Complaints are handled positively.

People at the top try to control as many decisions as possible. They become bottlenecks and make decisions with inadequate information and advice. People complain about the decisions.

5

There is a noticeable sense of team play in planning, performance, and discipline; in short a sharing of responsibility.

Leaders feel alone in trying to get things done. Somehow, assignments, policies and procedures don’t get carried out as intended.

6

The judgment of group members is respected.

The judgment of employees is not respected outside the narrow limits of their job.

7

Collaboration is freely encouraged. People readily request the help of others and are willing to give in turn. Ways of helping one another are highly developed. Individuals and groups compete with one another. But they do so fairly and in the direction of organizational goals.

People compete rather than cooperate. They are very jealous in their area of responsibility. Seeking or accepting help if felt to be a sign of weakness. Offering help is unthought of. People distrust one another and backbiting is common. And the leader tolerates this.

8

When there is a crisis people quickly band together to work until the crisis is solved.

When there is a crisis people withdraw and start blaming one another.

9

Differing opinions are considered important to decision-making and personal growth. They are dealt with effectively in the open. People are professional and say what they need to say, and expect others to do the same.

Conflict is mostly hidden and governed by organizational politics and other games or arguments drag out and frustration grows.

10

There’s a great deal of on-the-job learning based on a willingness to give and seek, and use feedback and advice. People see themselves and others as capable of significant professional growth.

Learning is difficult. People don’t approach others to learn from them, but have to learn by their own mistakes; they reject the experience of others. They get little feedback on performance and much of that is not helpful.

11

Joint critiques of progress are routine.

Progress discussions are avoided.

12

Relationships are honest. Employees care about one another and do not feel alone.

Relationships are cheapened by maskmanship and image building. Employees feel alone and lack concern for one another.

13

Employees are turned on and are highly involved by choice. They’re optimistic. The workplace is important and fun. Why not?

Members of the group feel locked into their jobs. They feel stale and bored but are constrained by the need for security. Their behavior in meetings, for example, is listless and docile. It’s not much fun and they get their kicks elsewhere.

14

Leadership is flexible, shifting in style and emphasis to fit the situation.

The leader is a dominating parent to the organization.

15

There’s a high degree of trust amongst employees and a sense of freedom and mutual responsibility. People generally know what is important to the organization and what isn’t.

The leader tightly controls new ideas and demands excessive justification and allows little freedom to deviate.

16

Risk is accepted and valued for growth and development.

Minimizing risk has a high value.

17

Poor performance is confronted and a joint solution sought.

Poor performances is glossed over or handled arbitrarily.

18

Organizational structures, procedures and policies are fashioned to help employees get the job done and to protect the long-term health of the organization. They are changed as the situation demands.

Organizational structures, procedures and policies stifle the team. Employees take refugee in policies and procedures and play games with the structure.

19

There is a sense of order, yet a high rate of innovation. Old methods can be changed and often give way.

Tradition is the only answer.

20

The organization itself adapts swiftly to opportunities and other changes in the situation because every pair of eyes is watching, and every employee is participating.

Innovation is not widespread, but consolidated in the hands of a few.

21

Frustrations are rooted in the call to action. “It’s my/our responsibility to save the ship.”

Peoples swallow their frustrations. “I can do nothing, it’s their responsibility to save the ship.”

22

A lot of energy is devoted to developing and clarifying performance standards that make sense and pride in obtaining them develops throughout the organization.

Performance standards are not clear and often misinterpreted and don’t seem to relate to important results or customer concerns.

As you develop your plan to improve your new group, use the preceding table to help set your developmental goals. Later in your tenure as the leader come back to this table periodically and assess where your group is and if there is room for further development.

Conducting a Leader Transition Meeting [1]

Purpose: The purpose of this procedure is to help newly assigned leaders transition to their new team or work group effectively.

Caution
This assumes you have already met with your new leader and gotten their take.
  1. Schedule a staff meeting with your new direct reports within the first few days of your arrival.

    Note
    If you wait too long to do conduct this meeting, you’ll create stress in the group because of the uncertainty about your intentions as the new leader. Do it in the first few days if possible, but within the first week for sure.
  2. Explain that your expectations of this meeting are to:

    • Listen to concerns

    • Establish mutually acceptable goals and priorities

    • Promote openness and honesty

  3. Ask their expectations of the meeting.

  4. Explain the purpose of meeting:

    • This is not a finger-pointing exercise, but rather a time to look at the issues we face

    • I do not intend to set policies or make major changes today. I want to listen to what you have to say

    • Identify the critical issues that need immediate attention

    • Get a clear idea of what the priority activities and events are for the next three to six months

    • Understand your expectations and concerns (what do you need from me?)

    • Allow you to gain an understanding of new expectations and concerns (what do I need from you?)

    • To give you an opportunity to recommend changes

    • To provide a means to present new philosophy and expectations

  5. Set the guidelines for identifying problems as follows.

    • Problem Statement – a concise explanation of issue or concern

    • Desired Outcome – what a successful solution would look like

    • Current Efforts – what you are doing to achieve the outcome

    • Help Needed – what you need from me to help the department achieve the desired outcome

  6. Ask for a group assessment using the following questions to stimulate discussion.

    Note
    This format encourages their involvement in solution finding. for a group assessment using the following questions to stimulate discussion.
    • What is working well?

    • What is not working well that everyone knows?

    • What looks good but actually is not going well?

    • What requires immediate attention?

    • What do you see as the primary direction, purpose, and goals of the group?

    • What policies should be continued, changed, stopped, or started?

    • What two or three issues need attention in the next three to six months?

    • What can be done to improve the effectiveness of the group?

  7. Clarify the role expectations as you see them for you and each of them.

  8. Discuss your leadership and management philosophy so they know what to expect of you.

  9. After the meeting reflect on what was said.

  10. Make appropriate action plans and begin to implement.

Validate Preliminary Finds and Initial Assessment [1]

As a final step to your assessment, ensure a cross section of the key stakeholders within the organization have an opportunity to challenge, question, or confirm the findings and assessments. Probe the assumptions and facts that underpin the preliminary findings or initial assessments. To make any of this work you must be open to feedback and criticism and be sensitive that direct reports may not be equally open to criticism from the “new boss.” Asking questions and listening to the answers (even if leaders may not agree) provide team members a stake in helping you gain a better understanding.

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