I just became a leader, now what?

Entering an existing team as their new manager is never easy. Countless challenges arise when you’re forced to absorb an existing team, especially when the change happens suddenly. Luckily, we can implement a few key tactics to make transitioning into a leadership position over an existing team easier.

Let’s start with a few basic principles:

1. Focus on who can do the work, not who’s your friend or who you can get along with. 

2. Gather facts before making decisions. 

3. Refresh the team’s vision to connect their existing work with your leadership style. 

4. Speak with actions over words. 

These four guiding principles can help you absorb an existing team and drive success. 

Thankfully, we have a case study to guide the execution, brought to us by Theodore Roosevelt as he took over the presidency upon the assassination of President McKinley. 

When Roosevelt took the oath of office, he had a decision to make: keep the cabinet chosen by McKinley and loyal to his vision or replace them with his own loyalists. He decided who to keep on the team following one simple criterion: Are they loyal to the work? The work hadn’t changed; only the leader had. He wanted employees committed to the work they were doing, not their leader.  

Roosevelt’s vision differed greatly from his predecessor's, even though they were from the same political party. Rather than acting first on his preconceived notions of how the government should act, he decided to gather the facts. He was committed to making informed decisions about the government’s involvement in the heightening labor crisis he had walked into. He needed to gather facts before acting, a tactic leadership tactic he would frequently employ.

Roosevelt knew he had to refresh the vision to gain buy-in and generate alignment among his team. He aligned his new vision with the vision set by the McKinley administration. Both Presidents were committed to peace and prosperity for the United States in a rapidly changing industrial landscape. Yet, Roosevelt differed in his execution of achieving peace and prosperity. By aligning his tactics with the McKinley administration's goal, he led through crises during his first term in office. 

Roosevelt then used his actions to rally the team. He had a high capacity for work, so he came in and got straight to work. Through his work ethic, he set the tone for the team, showcasing how his leadership style would achieve the vision he set forth. 

It’s never easy for a leader to absorb an existing team, but the goal should be integration, not innovation out of the gate. You need to take a step back, evaluate the work, gather the facts, develop a clear and connected vision, and showcase your commitment to acting on that vision. 

Reflection:

Think about your first time in a leadership role, and ask yourself these questions:

• How did I evaluate the performance of my new team? 

• How long did it take to gather the facts and understand the team dynamics?

• Did I develop a vision for continuity when creating team goals?

• How did my actions reinforce or detract from the vision I had created?

• Did I provide a fair opportunity for a seamless transition?

It’s harder in practice, but focusing on the controllable aspects of your first few months in the new leadership position can change your team's long-term trajectory and probability of success. 

We’re moving on to a new leader next week, and we'll be discussing personal leadership styles and how we can become a better version of ourselves. 

See you next week!

Rick