You’ve Inherited a Team After Their Manager Was Let Go, Now What?
You’ve just been promoted to lead a new team. The previous manager was recently let go and you need to help this team rebuild and get back on track. Definitely a difficult and challenging conversation road ahead. What do you say and how can you help them move forward?
Be honest with the team members and realize that they might be struggling with the recent events. It’s often a good first step to acknowledge what’s happened and say, “I know this has been a lot and I appreciate how much you’re trying to do.” The goal is to help your team to acknowledge life is different, focus on moving forward, and not dwell on what’s just happened.
Celebrate the little things and don’t pile on right away. Momentum will happen, but it may take time. Staying calm and being understanding will help, but remember to acknowledge the small wins or small contributions when they happen. This is as simple sa saying thank you or door dashing a coffee to a remote employee.
Share with the team why their work matters and how it impacts the company. Simon Sinek advocates that employees need to understand the “why”. Sinek says that people know what to do and how to do it, but in order to motivate them, they need to know why they’re doing it. Share the why.
Be patient and consistent. Meet with your team members regularly for one-on-ones and don’t forget during these one-on-ones to ask each person how they’re doing, what they’re doing well this week, where they’re stuck, and how you can help.
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