“The beginning is the most important part of the work.”
~Plato
My coaching client, “Joe,” was just promoted to a new role within his firm. He will lead a new division that includes some existing company employees as well as several new hires. This is a tremendous opportunity for Joe.
But in order to maximize his effectiveness and lay a firm foundation for the success of the team, I’ve encouraged Joe to begin with the end in mind. Joe must engage, align and inspire his team to achieve the goals and objectives that the division was formed to accomplish.
The process of integrating a new leader into a team is a great opportunity for the leader to share their vision, their priorities and their expectations for the group. It’s also an opportunity for the leader to learn more about each of their team members; what motivates them, what expectations they have for him/her as their leader.
This process helps establish trust, provide mutual understanding of issues and concerns, and improves productivity. All are imperatives for Joe in his new role. It can be used with experienced or inexperienced team leaders, and with existing or newly formed teams.
The process for integration can include a team offsite (useful for larger teams). This group approach accelerates integration because it gives everyone an opportunity to ask questions and hear answers at the same time, reducing ambiguity and misunderstanding.
It can also be accomplished in one on one meetings with each of the leader’s direct reports. The fundamental objective of both is to make sure that both the leader and the team members have an opportunity to learn about each other’s goals and expectations.
Regardless of the route you choose, here’s a sampling of some great questions that Joe should be prepared to answer:
Priorities
- What are your top priorities for the team?
- What do you want the team to accomplish?
Performance
- What do you expect of us?
- How will we (I) know if we are (I am) performing well?
- What is your definition of a top performer?
Leadership Style
- How do you handle conflict between team members?
- What are your own strengths and “less strong” points?
Background
- What did you do prior to becoming our team leader?
- What are a few key events in your career?
As I mentioned, the list is just a sampling. You get the idea.
And in order for Joe to truly engage, align and inspire the team, he must take the opportunity to ask his team some questions. Here are a few good ones….
- What would you like me to know about you?
- What do you expect of me?
- What do you expect of me in addressing the priorities/issues and related problems?
Whether you utilize a new leader integration group offsite or a one-on-one process, leading a new team is a challenge but also an opportunity to get things started on the right foot. To begin with the end in mind.
We’ve got Joe’s meeting already scheduled.
To your success,
Mary
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