Picture credit: I'm your pusher
Walking into a new job always brings new challenges, none more so than the preconceptions of others. So here is a powerful tip for getting off to a good start.
As an interim director I have often been preconceived by my new team as the axeman, brought in to turn around their performance – by cutting costs and people.
Motivating a team with such feelings is not easy so I have developed ways of dealing with the usual ‘welcoming’ comments from concerned staff, such as “why should we bother, when you’re going to sack us all anyway?”
If I get such a question, usually in a one-to-one-meeting, I simply explain that my motivation is to help people realise their potential. I always stop speaking at that point, to see how the conversation will develop.
Most people immediately recognise the ambiguity of my statement and the next few minutes of our conversation often frames the months to come.
Although my ambiguity may sound glib, it is not casual or flippant. It is a deliberate provocation to see if I can quickly capture some of the essence of my new colleague.
Of course, the same approach can be used by any new leader, who wants to gather accurate assessments of their new situation before moving forward. Setting out your stall and taking stock of reactions is a key early activity in any assignment.
By sincerely telling someone that you will help them to realise their potential is an incredibly powerful starting point for any relationship. What happens next is the responsibility of both parties to discover, honestly and fairly, exactly where the true potential lies – and then to agree how this may be realised.
The eventual outcomes are often quite different – but usually better for both parties because the analysis of potential and agreed realisation bring better understanding and focus for all concerned.
