The New Boss in Town
By Elizabeth Newell
New managers are expected to implement changes and
improvements. But there is a fine line between making clear that things will be
different and setting fire to what is familiar to employees. A manager who
successfully toes the line between a new regime and a scorched-earth policy can
set the tone early without alienating subordinates.
The balancing act requires paying attention to the
existing attitudes in the organization and determining how much change people
can handle - and how quickly. Peter Fischer, author of The New Boss: How to
Survive the First 100 Days (Kogan Page, 2007), identifies seven building blocks
of successful leadership transition: managing expectations, building key
relationships, analyzing the situation, clarifying objectives, creating a
climate for change, initiating change, and using symbols and rituals.
According to Fischer, experienced managers know that even
the best arguments in favor of change will fall on deaf ears if the proper
climate does not exist among employees. And employees who view the new boss as
the long-awaited hero of the organization can be as destructive in the long run
as employees who resist change.
Before you can foster a climate for change, you must
gather what Milo and Thuy Sindell, authors of Sink or Swim!: New Job. New Boss.
12 Weeks to Get It Right (Adams Media, 2006), call "company
knowledge." This includes the organization's history, culture - why it
does things a certain way - internal operations, strategy and financial
situation. "It is important to understand the rules because it ensures
that you operate within the limits and boundaries and do not step on any toes
in your first weeks on the job," they write. "Unknowingly crossing
boundaries doesn't usually leave a very good impression."
Once you have the lay of the land and made it clear that
you respect the culture of the office, it's time to articulate your vision for
the organization to your employees and help them understand and appreciate
their roles. Morey Stettner, author of The New Manager's Handbook: 24 Lessons
for Mastering Your New Role (McGraw-Hill, 2002), writes, "By defining a
new direction to move forward, you reassure employees of the benefits of
change."
One approach is to identify the advantages of the changes
from your employees' point of view. "Appeal to their self-interest and
specify what's to gain in both the short- and long-term perspective,"
Stettner notes.
And while you're leveling with employees about what is
coming down the pike, skip the platitudes. Clichés such as "We must change
or die" or "Change is a constant around here" ring hollow with
employees, he says.
Stettner writes that being accessible for informal,
face-to-face chats with team members helps dispel rumors and foster trust about
what is in store. And when you don't have all the answers, be honest.
"Saying, 'I don't know, but I'll find out and get back to you' works
better than barricading yourself in your office and becoming aloof,"
Stettner advises.
He quotes the late leadership consultant Peter Scholtes
saying, "Employees don't resist change. They resist being changed."
By showing respect and understanding for the culture of your new organization
when you first arrive and by being honest and accessible in announcing and
implementing your new direction, you make the changes a team effort, rather
than an infliction.
Elizabeth Newell covered management, human resources and
contracting at Government Executive for three years.
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