When you are taking over responsibility for a new team can be an exciting time. The opportunity to innovate, refresh and transform the performance, while also adding to your credibility as a leader, and preparing you for greater things to come.
It is also a time fraught with risks and dangers that could overwhelm you and actually damage your career prospects.
It will pay dividends if you invest some time now to maximise the opportunity ad minimise the risks.
Below are many questions you need to be asking as you prepare to make your entry and establish yourself quickly. They mainly focus on the situation where you are taking responsibility for an existing team as their new leader. And I’ve added a few more that are relevant if the team is newly formed too.
Investigate the Leadership Context
First off, you need to get to know the surrounding territory. Unless you know the lay of the land, you are going to struggle to know what to do for the best. Leaders must know what is going on around their team.
- What is the purpose of the team?
- Why does it exist?
- How does it fit within the wider organisation?
- How does the overall strategy of the organisation affect the team?
- What’s the politics around this situation?
- How is the team performing?
- What do people outside of the team think of the team?
Newly Formed Team
- Who are the powerful sponsors that created the team?
- What are their objectives?
- Why now?
- Who are the people who disagreed with the need for a team?
Know the People
It may be a statement of the obvious, but it needs saying. Unless you have a clear knowledge of the people you will be leading, you are likely to falter and fail. The sort of things you need to be getting to know as fast as possible are…
- What are their hopes and fears for the future?
- How are they performing?
- What tensions could exist between team members?
- How have they been getting on with the other team members?
- Who are the friends and enemies?
- How does the team socialise?
- Who are the opinion formers?
- Is there a history of bad behaviour?
Newly Formed Team
- Why is each team member there?
- Beyond the obvious, what might their mission be, or hidden agenda?
- What functions have they worked in previously?
- What other loyalties might they have to their former colleagues?
Consider the Introduction
As a new leader arrives in position, there is likely to have been some way it was introduced to the team members. It is important to know what has been said before you stepped into the role. So you need to be able to answer questions like…
- What rationale were they given for your appointment?
- What has been said about the role or mission you are there to achieve?
- Indeed, have they been told anything?
- How might they respond to your leadership?
Tip: If you get the chance to, make sure and negotiate the method and content of the introduction with the person appointing you. Agree what will be said and how it will be said. Make the most of any opportunity you have to influence the messages for maximum effect.
- How did they react to these messages?
- Are there rumours circulating about your arrival?
- What did they think about your predecessor?
- Is someone in the team likely to be thinking they should have got the job?
- Heck, why did your predecessor leave?
Newly Formed Team
- Has the purpose of the team been clearly communicated?
- Are team members present willingly or have they been coerced?
- Are they full or part-time team members?
- What are the formal terms of reference?
- Who else thinks they should be running the show?
How to Lead a New Team: Decision Time
By now you may be thinking that this is just a whole load of questions, and many of them are difficult to answer. What you wanted to know was how to lead a new team. Am I right?
The problem is nobody can tell you how to lead your team. They can give you lots of examples of great leaders, what they do and say. But what they can never tell you is exactly what you need to do. This is because you and your situation are unique. If someone does tell you how to lead, they may well be misleading you.
As a leader, you need to be studying lots of examples of leadership and trying out different skills and approaches. Developing a confident leadership style and approach comes with time (and lots of practice).
So, I encourage you to make some clear decisions now about exactly what and how you are going to lead your new team. Decisions need to be made on many topics, including…
- Vision, Mission and Purpose
- Team Strategy
- Leadership Style
- Communication Methods
- Team Processes
- Conflict Resolution
- Goals and Plans
- Team Roles, Objectives and Targets
Yes, that’s a lot more for you to consider. Yes, some of these can evolve as you go,. But the point is, the more effort you can invest up front on these topics, the better. Nobody wants to be led by a leader who doesn’t appear to know what he or she is doing ― do you?