New Broom - Image

Congratulations, you are the leader! It doesn't really matter whether you are the head of a large company or the head of a small division, leading a large-scale project, or leading a small team. The adaptation process in a new position does not always go as smoothly as we would like. You can face serious challenges, for which it is important to prepare in advance.

Time for a change

You enthusiastically take on your duties, delve into the workflow and meet with employees. Day by day, you get to know your new job better, dive deeper into the study of global and current problems and, of course, develop and propose ways to solve them. You have received this position, which means that you have enough unique experience and talent to solve emerging problems, you have your own vision of further development paths, you develop and propose new strategies, which will inevitably lead to changes. Living in an "era of change" is a serious stress for both the manager and the subordinates.

The most stressful factor in the work of a new leader is personal relationships within the team. They are inevitably established between colleagues and have a huge impact on work processes.

You begin to interact with employees of the company, and not only in a professional sense. A team is a system within which its own rules, traditions, and interpersonal relationships have been formed. The established systems strive for homeostasis, for stability, and sometimes it is very difficult to quickly overcome the inertia of such a structure.

Each of your subordinates will react differently to the fact that you appear in the role of a new leader. Overcoming inertia will require all of your patience, wisdom, observation, empathy, and the skills to use emotional intelligence and strategic thinking.

I am not what happened to me, I am what I decided to become

Carl Gustav Jung

In my company

“… I am entering a new position. There will be eight subordinates, six of them - my former colleagues, with whom they worked side by side for several years, were not friends, but were friends. I know all their mistakes and miscalculations in their work, now I need to scold them for this, improve the performance in the department. And one more important point: now I can write bonuses. Here, I think, there will be a lot of grievances and misunderstandings. How to behave correctly in order to correspond to the position and at the same time not become an enemy for subordinates?"

Natalia, 35 years old

If you have grown to a leadership position within your company, you may face unexpected challenges. On the one hand, in such a situation there are many advantages - you play “on your own field”, the team is familiar, you have long ago mastered the rules and traditions of the company, you have information from the inside.

On the other hand, with excessive self-confidence, all of the above can turn out to be a minus. You have studied the inner workings of the company only from a previously held position, the team has an established idea of you as a person, and you have no second chance to impress.

Earlier, while taking a linear position, you did not have the same measure of responsibility that you have acquired now. They could indulge in careless statements, ill-considered actions, which in the current situation can acquire a completely new sound.

Your coworkers who were friends or even friends with you may change, experiencing professional or even personal jealousy. Employees can unwittingly or deliberately violate the chain of command, treat your orders lightly, resist the perception of you in a new role.

To avoid this, try not to get involved emotionally. Collective resistance is completely normal, and most importantly, surmountable. Think over a plan of action, determine what kind of relationship in the team you would like, what is your position and what type of interaction will now be the norm for you. Remember the main thing - the success of the team in achieving the assigned professional tasks.

Clearly and without unnecessary reflection, voice your vision to each employee, outline the updated boundaries and outline the “rules of the game”. Be consistent, because your inner doubts and throwing will only complicate the situation. And remember - the more fair, understandable and firm you are, the faster the team will accept you in your new role.

EXPERT OPINION

Litter from the hut

Any "new broomstick" has a difficult time during the "grinding" period with a team of subordinates. And often this is due to the structure and style of communication in the company as a whole. I advise several organizations. One of them functions like a large family. And, as in any such family, relationships in it are overwhelming: either love - there is no strength to endure, then "scandals, intrigues, investigations" (TV is resting). The second organization is much larger, but at the same time a large, complex structure works like a clock. It is regulated by the boss. And pretty tough. Subordinates moan, but work, and very productively, despite the volleyball on Fridays and field trips by the team. And now the question - where will it be easier to get used to the "new broomstick"?

Of course, where there are strict requirements without any "musi-pusi". After all, the rule "At work - we work" forms clear guidelines for us, defines social roles and boundaries. And when these boundaries are blurred, when at work we find ourselves in a “surrogate family”, then it is not very clear how everyone should behave. And the new boss as well.

Olga DYACHUK,

psychologist