It’s one thing joining a new company as a junior or mid-level member of staff, but it’s quite another taking on a new position in which the member of staff is expected to lead a team who already know and are comfortable with each other. Article by Matt Driscoll is L&D Consultant focusing on Leadership and Management at Thales L&D.
This is increasingly becoming a challenge for a human resources department to assist with in order to minimise disruption as much as possible. The quickest way for a new leader to gain the trust of their team and begin to get the best out of them is to hit the ground running themselves. The company can help greatly by using learning and development programmes to get him or her up to speed, aware of what is expected on a daily basis and in a position to achieve that.
Split the first 100 days into manageable chunks
HR directors need to be aware of the pressure that new leaders can face – they are expected to come straight in and know the answers to problems they weren’t aware of as well as immediately begin meeting targets. With this in mind, the first 100 days should be broken up into manageable chunks so that there isn’t a huge amount of pressure immediately placed upon the new starter. The time should be focused on acclimatising them to their role, the business processes and the daily routine via learning and development programmes. Ensure that time is set aside at key milestones within that timeframe for progress reviews and constructive feedback – this will keep them on the right path.
Offer tailored training opportunities
One of the quickest ways of getting a new leader up to speed quickly is to tailor an existing learning and development programme to their specific duties and responsibilities. This should cover everything from leadership and task/project management to business development and individual problem solving, bringing them up to speed while immediately demonstrating commitment to them. If there isn’t a suitable L&D programme available, they should be directed to external sources, either online or at conferences, so that they might get a better handle on the industry or the company if they have arrived from somewhere completely unrelated to either. Alternatively, fellow team leaders and managers can assist them on a daily basis, answering questions and helping them to properly resolve situations.
Create a social network chart
If possible (and appropriate), it may help for new managers to be briefed on the social networks within the company so that they are aware of where the friendships and conflicts lie, particularly within their own teams. This will enable them to avoid making any mistakes that could put them under unnecessary pressure at the beginning of their time in the role, such as teaming people up who do not get on and work well together. Because this is something that cannot be researched ahead of time (unless the new manager knows someone already working for the company), it can be useful for the learning and development team to put it together as part of the initial training and acclimatisation programme.
