Q: I was recently given responsibility for a somewhat struggling work group at my company. I had worked with them previously, but not closely. In my first month I've been concerned about the lack of understanding of their roles _ some of them had never even seen their job descriptions _ and resistance to change as I put more structure in place. What do you recommend?
_Jonah, 35, IT team lead
A: The people on this team have not been set up to succeed, so it's up to you to help them turn the corner.
Going into a situation like this, you are best served by assuming that everyone is intrinsically motivated to do a good job. When lacking direction, they will create their own idea on what a good job means. Not surprisingly, they may tend to emphasize the tasks they like doing and are best at. They will also become attached to the role as they envision it, leading to the resistance you are now encountering.
This dynamic may also be combined with a sense that they are not valued. It's dispiriting to feel that your leadership is uninterested and unengaged, and this can cause morale to plummet.
Given these likely issues, the worst approach would be to come in tough and lay down the law. Instead, do your homework on the team's responsibilities so that you are clear on what needs to be accomplished. If job descriptions exist, review them and determine how well they fit the actual roles. Ask your leadership if you have the flexibility to change the job descriptions if needed.
Then talk to your team. Take an open-ended approach, getting their input on the transition from their previous manager to you, what they like and don't like about their role as it has evolved, and concerns they may have about the change. Find out what successful roles and team identity would look like to them.
Some legitimate pain points may emerge. For example, they may find that they are doing work that is well above their job description, so they may feel underpaid. Promises may have been made that have not come to pass. Or they may not have the skills to do the job that they are supposed to be doing.
Also look at their current incentives and goals. A misalignment on this can cost them real money at bonus time, so be sure that any changes you make don't put this at risk.
Be prepared to have strong emotions surface among your team. Anticipate how you will deal with anger, anxiety, even grief over the change so that you are not blindsided by it.
Now, taking all this into account, it's your job to create a plan that best suits your situation, distributing both the positives and the perceived downsides fairly. Strive to build in opportunity for growth within every role, and also build in the level of cross training and back up that your team needs.
You also need to inspire them and be their champion. They need to develop trust that as their leader, you will have their back, removing barriers, supporting them, getting them the resources they need, and doing all you can to create a positive and rewarding work environment.
