I started my first team from scratch and it took us over two years to hit our stride.  My second team had a mix of experienced and novice members on it.  We took about a year to begin to fire on all cylindars.  The next team was pieced together from other teams.  The individuals were all tenured and successful but most had not worked together before. We hit our stride quickly.

The way a leader launches into leadership with a new team can often determine that team’s trajectory for years to come.

New Leader, New Team

With each team, I learned something.  Each time my team changed, I adapted my methods to the needs of that team, but never my values. 

After taking over multiple teams and having quick success with some and achieving slower success with others, I believe there are some key steps I can share with others that will smooth the transition for both the team leader and the team members.

5 Steps For A New Leader On A New Team

1.  Communicate with the Previous Leader

This may be easier said than done if the previous leader has left the company or has been promoted to another role that is located in a different geography. What’s important?

  • On-going initiatives
  • Key client relationships
  • Critical operational/historical reports
  • Outstanding promises made to superiors, peers, employees and customers.

On the other side of the coin, avoid listening to that leader’s negative opinions of certain team members. If a person is under a formal coaching plan and was on the verge of being fired, ask to be apprised of those situations.  Otherwise, keep your mind free of other people’s biases as you take control of your new team.

2.  Meet Face to Face with the Influence Leaders

As a leader stepping onto a new team, I am never under any delusions that I am the most influential person on the team.  There are probably one or two other people who will exert the most influence on the team until I have earned the right to lead.

  • I meet influence leaders first.
  • I meet them in a casual environment.
  • I listen more than I talk.
  • I ask for their help.

I always make it a priority to meet with these leaders before I meet with any other team members.  In my early days on the team, it is critical to have their buy-in because they are the ones others will follow whether I like it or not.

3.  Bring The Team Together Physically

I do believe it is necessary to take them all away from their work for a day in the beginning.  Just like with individuals, I have one chance to make a first impression as a leader.

  • I plan more time than I think is needed.
  • I meet at a neutral site (not in the office).
  • I spend the first ½ of the meeting listening more than speaking.
  • I pay special attention to my influence leaders’ comments and signals.

When a team is together physically with me, they can all see for themselves who I am, how I operate and what my expectations are.  By doing this, I insure that my message is consistent across the board because I deliver it to everyone, one time and answer all their questions one time.

4.  Build Trust With The Team.

Establishing trust must begin on the first day.  Without trust, I know I will not have followers.  On the teams that I led where trust ruled, we had high performance, passionate team members, and low turnover.

  • I share who I am professionally and personally.
  • I tell them they do not have to earn my trust.  They already have it.
  • I immediately eliminate any “busy work” that does not obviously improve their productivity.
It amazes me how many people I meet who will tell me that they are not trusted and do not trust their leaders.  My goal is always to have teams where people operate in an environment permeated by trust.


5.  Bring The Team Together Culturally

A big goal for me is to begin the process of building a common culture with me involved.  While they may have a good culture when I walk in, a new leader will always cause a shift in the culture.  My job at the meeting is to make that shift a positive one.
  • I celebrate who they are and what they’ve accomplished.
  • I share my vision for the team.
  • I share the operating values I will not bend on.
  • I have one expectation as their leader:  “If you tell me you are going to do something, I expect you to do it.”

I bring the team together culturally by celebrating who they are, and what they have accomplished before my arrival.  Then, I cast my vision for the team and the values I believe are important for us to operate under.

We spend a lot of time sharing what these values look like in practice and begin to build our team expectations off of those.

The Bottom Line:

My goal is to give everyone reading this post something that will help them lead well in new situations.  As I said, I’ve done this well at times, and I’ve done it poorly too.

I created this list looking in the rearview mirror and learning.  My hope, as I expand on this in future posts, is the wisdom I gained from my past mistakes will help you be a better leader on Day 1 with a new team.

Question:

What is the most important thing a leader can do for you in their early days leading your team?