Lesson: "You're Hired!" Now What? Part 1 of 2

After rounds and rounds of interviews, you've been selected as the new leader to turnaround a struggling team. Congratulations. Now what?

In my experience, I've found that two things seem to work well. The first is to partner with your boss on assessing your team. The second (in the next post) will be to find a STAR to bring onto the team.

Suggestion 1: Assess your existing team

Partner immediately with your boss and let him or her know that you want to take some time to assess the talent you have on the team you've inherited. Agree to a date and report back, not only with your individualized assessment, but with your strategy to ensure you have a team that will support you in meeting your objectives. Remember, managers simply assess the team. Leaders have a strategy, and they will execute it, once their assessment is complete.

Why do I need to assess the team?

Maybe you find that the reason they're failing is...the person you've been selected to replace. Perhaps the previous leader was disengaged, not interested in the team's growth and development, and wasn't aligned with the company's mission. That will certainly lead to an unsuccessful team, but should also provide you with an eager team who want fresh leadership.

You might also find that you've got some very talented people already in place. Maybe they're not being groomed for future success. Maybe they've grown disheartened because not everyone pulls their weight. Maybe they're on they're last round of interviews for another job elsewhere!

You may also have some team members who, with the right coaching, feedback, and concern on your part, might be developed into superstars.

Finally, you may find that some, or all, of the team members are not capable of fulfilling your mission. They are going to need to be assisted in finding alternative employment where their skills are better suited. The faster you do that, the faster you will find your team in high gear.

So, Lesson 1- Partner with you boss to assess your existing team. From there, develop and execute a focused strategy so you have talented, trained, and motivated team members who are aligned in supporting your mission.

The next Lesson (also the next post) is "You don't START without a STAR".