Good Start For The "new Broom" - Image

… I took the place of the beloved leader who moved to another company. The whole team took me with hostility as a stranger. They talked to me coldly, my proposals were rejected, and comments were completely ignored. For the first three or four months I literally dragged myself to work, as if for an exam, and every day my subordinates tested me for strength … Elena, 29 years old

The team often perceives the newly arrived leader with caution, as a "new broom". Employees experience stress from the fact that they need to get acquainted, to accept a new person into the team, and even a boss. We have to establish both working and personal relations with him, completely without understanding what his character is, the style of interaction with the team, with what intentions he appeared and what actions he will take.

Of course, many will be afraid of displeasing the new bosses, fearing increased workloads, and even losing their jobs. Some of the "old-timers" will try to "put themselves", rigidly designating who is "new", and who has been working in the company for a long time and knows the nuances of work processes inside and out. Some will choose opportunistic tactics, trying their best to win the boss's favor. Others will take a wait and see attitude and will not show their true attitude towards the emergence of a new boss.

In such a situation, it is quite difficult to establish healthy working relationships and maintain a welcoming, friendly atmosphere. And here honesty, openness and consistency will come to your aid.

There is no need to try too hard to please the team, and do not rush to draw conclusions and initiate drastic changes

Take a month for adaptation, take a closer look at the team, at the open and unspoken rules of communication, try to get to know each member of the team and form your opinion about their personal and professional qualities.

Be kind, emotionally stable, extremely polite and correct, use active listening skills, remember details. At the same time, keep your distance and try to carefully weigh decisions, taking one side or the other in the inevitable clashes of interests of employees.

Pay special attention to the informal rules of relationships in the team: for example, employees turn to each other for “you” or “you”, who takes responsibility in case of mistakes, initiative from below is encouraged or suppressed, whether subordinates speak freely in the presence of management. Are romances allowed at work, are gender holidays encouraged? Is it accepted to spend time together after work, are birthdays celebrated in the office?

Having gained an idea of the internal processes taking place in the team, you will be able to feel more confident and comfortable in a new place, formulate your attitude to the current state of affairs in the company and decide how you would like to see interaction within the team in the future. Gradually, but steadily, take the necessary actions to correct the established, but undesirable traditions and habits, by your own example, show and encourage in others the desired methods of intra-team interaction. Try to maintain a positive attitude, demonstrate professionalism, balance and fairness, and then the adaptation process will be more comfortable and faster.

Psychological self-support

An anxious, jaded leader is a sad sight. How, in such a stressful, stressful period of adaptation, to avoid nervous overload and not burn out at the very start?

The cornerstone of success is a clear understanding of the tasks, careful planning and competent organization of work processes. Purposeful actions to form a supportive, professional team of like-minded people also play an important role. But how often, plunging headlong into work, we forget that professional efficiency directly depends on our well-being. It is in those periods of life when it seems that even forty-eight hours a day would not be enough for us to have time to redo all our affairs, it is very important not to forget to give ourselves a rest.

• 1. Pause. Plan short breaks during your workday. Get out into the fresh air, do a warm-up, take a walk, meditate, listen to your favorite melody. Physical activity helps to improve blood circulation in the body, supply the brain with oxygen, while the head rests, the body relaxes, and you become fresher and more efficient.
• 2. Disconnect from work. Set the length of the working day and follow this routine clearly. Try to switch to pleasant, quiet, enjoyable activities and not do work tasks in your free time.
• 3. Do not overload. Of course, there are a lot of interesting things in the world that you can do in your free time. During the adaptation period, try not to start additional projects that require a large amount of moral and physical strength. Wait until the situation at work stabilizes, but for now - only relaxing and enjoyable leisure activities.
• 4. Get enough sleep. Do not skimp on sleep, especially during periods of increased psychological stress. Try to get at least seven hours of sleep at night. During sleep, our body recovers, muscles relax, the brain is cleansed of toxins, long-term memory is formed, learned skills are consolidated, immunity is improved, melatonin is produced, which protects us from stress and premature aging.
• 5. Practice positive thinking. Try to notice the positive aspects of any situation, at the level of wording, change your view of things. For example, instead of "I have a problem …" to think and say "I have a great opportunity to work on …". As you practice this approach to perceiving life's circumstances, you will soon notice that “problems” will indeed turn into opportunities, and “troubles” will turn into tasks for personal and professional growth.

Photo: Syda Productions / Lori Photo Bank