[2021-08-09] Advice for new leaders
When George Takei (who played Captain Sulu in the original Star Trek series) appeared on the improv show Thank God You're Here, he departed from the show's typical format. Thank God You're Here threw guest actors into scenes they knew absolutely nothing about, which required that they improvise all their lines. After being greeted by the host, guest actors—dressed in a costume befitting the scene—would walk through a door to a set where they were greeted by an improv actor who would say: "Thank God you're here."
But when Takei walked through the door, he loudly proclaimed, "Thank God I'm here."
I've often thought of that skit when I've encountered bosses who arrive in a new place projecting an air of superiority. Such managers quickly communicate, overtly or covertly, that the people and processes of their new team do not measure up to the manager's standards. They then set out to reshape the organization to match their view of how the world should be. This is demoralizing for staff, who may go from feeling competent one day to incompetent the next.
This isn't to say that new managers can't and shouldn't bring their experience and ideas to their new team. They should, but all in due time.
An effective leader starts by assuming that the organization they inherit is working well and that its people know what they're doing. Moreover, they communicate this explicitly to their new team. This puts employees at ease and immediately creates a sense of psychological safety—a feeling that the new boss is as committed to the team's success as the employees are.
As the leader builds relationships with their new employees, they can ask questions designed to elicit ideas about what's working, what's not and what could be done to improve things.
- By starting with questions about what's working, the new leader can strive to preserve things that the employees like and avoid throwing the baby out with the bathwater as they start to implement changes over time. Beginning with a positive question also conveys that the new leader believes that there is much good to build on.
- Proceeding to the question of what's not working acknowledges that employees are often best placed to identify problems that need to be addressed. Many employees will share well-informed ideas for improvement if given the chance to offer their views.
- The third question allows employees to expand on their previous answers to recommend what to keep and what to change.
The takeaway for new leaders is to avoid the Thank-God-I'm-Here approach. It was funny when George Takei turned the tables on his fellow improv actors. It's not so funny when a new boss shows up and operates from that position.
