Karman 0:30

Good morning, Scott and Tammy. Good morning, Karman. Karman! I feel like we're all like standing on the top of a mountain or three mountains, like yodeling across the chasm to each other.

Tammy 0:47

Karman,Karman,Karman, as it echoes across the mountains.

Karman 0:53

I I like it when people just cheer for me that way. Scott's used to it.

Scott 1:02

I am, yeah. It eventually gets old.

Karman 1:07

I'll take your word for it.

Scott 1:09

I have rupees.

Karman 1:12

Oh god. Do they have t-shirts?

Scott 1:15

No, pitchforks and torches.

Karman 1:19

So we're back to Scott misinterpreting that he is the good center of the world when really people are trying to just tell him like we're here for sure.

Tammy 1:31

Salem witch trials kind of things.

The Challenge Of Inheriting Teams

Karman 1:34

So today I wanted to talk a little bit about a challenge that leaders have when they inherit a new team. So you know, we talked a lot about change the last few weeks, and one of the kinds of changes that happens in some organizations a lot is shifting org charts, you know, teams and responsibilities move around. So if if you are a leader who just inherited a team or even another employee, what are a couple things you should do right away to be successful at that? This is I want to know why Scott's laughing.

Tammy 2:18

Um, okay. So, Scott, since I said um and you start laughing, you get to go first.

Scott 2:23

Yeah, no, well, I think your question is really, really good because this does happen. And it could be, hey, there there was an org shift. It could be, hey, I just got hired from the outside and I'm the new leader coming in, whether that's I'm coming in at the CEO or I'm coming at a supervisor, whatever that is. Like, yes, I need to do some learning and I need to be curious, and we can all go read the the Michael Watkins book, The First 90 Days.

Tammy 2:51

Like, I would tell you for sure you do anytime as a leader you are stepping into something new, go to that book.

Scott 2:58

Okay, just and there are some amazing nuggets.

Tammy 3:00

Yep.

Scott 3:01

And okay, so I think what we're part of that is then what do you do people-wise? Okay, yeah, I need to get to know them. I need to like, okay, you know, what are goals, objectives, etc. And then I need to start setting expectations. I need to start to say, hey, this is this is directionally where we're going and why. And my experience, the number one, number one and two things those leaders do, frankly, just wrong. Okay. Is even when they take the time to get to know people, they whine about, well, I inherited them. I didn't hire them. They're not, no, it is your job. So shut up and take ownership of it, whether you hired them or not. Correct. Okay. Period. You now own it. Go do something about it. And then the second thing is they make assumptions that I can't clean house. Well, again, I'm not suggesting you clean house. What I am suggesting is start to set those expectations and work towards those expectations. Going and firing everybody seems a little ridiculous. And are there some people that may not adapt to the new way? Then you have to say, how do I either support them to, you know, to go to their happy place? Do I vote them off the island? And too many times I watch leaders, they just accept it. And they don't make a plan and they say, Well, I'm stuck and I don't know what to do, and it's so hard to hire people, and all the talent pool is so shallow, and uh blah, wah, wah, wham.

Prioritize Problems And Improve In Steps

Tammy 4:37

And Scott, I think you said something really important there that I just want to like highlight. The old ways, that's how the other manager led. That was the way the expectations came, and they might not even have been verbal, but you kind of like you've worked for that other person, and you just figured out what you had to do to not be in trouble, what you could do to like get be seen as a superstar. You know that because you've had that, okay? And now it's your norm. Okay. That's the way we do things around here. And I think that leaders are afraid of saying, old days, they're gone. Okay. Let me be very clear. We have new days. Why? Because I am the leader of this department now, and the way that we are going to do things moving forward are. And I don't understand why they're so reluctant to have that conversation, but that's the that's the most important conversation that you can have. And you don't have it on day one, right? Just like watch, listen, notice. Oh, I like this stuff. Oh, I don't like this stuff. Oh, this is a place where we're inefficient. Oh, this is a place that's not working for us, right? So you got to give it a little time. That's why the first 90 days, that's that spot. So don't come in and do it on day one because it doesn't make any sense. You don't have any information. But once you have some information and you now are like, yep, this is where what we have to accomplish. These are the people that are on my team, good, bad, or ugly. It doesn't matter. They're on my team. And I know that to get there, this is what we need to do, and this is how we need to be able to work together and interact. So I have to have the conversation that very clearly says, we're not doing this anymore, and we are doing this, and these things are the same. Okay, you can look at it as a stoplight if you want. What are we going to stop doing, continue doing, and start doing? But you have to be that clear, right? Clear is kind. Brene Brown, that clear. And after you have that clarity conversation, this is the way we are going to work going forward. It's not like your whole team gets to go, uh no, I don't want to anymore. I mean, you've just set those expectations with them. And now when people are stepping out of line or continuing to do it the old way, you start nudging them, right? And in that nudge, it's like, hey, remember, because they're not going to be perfect. Remember, we talked about that. And if they continue to step over those lines, you have stronger and stronger conversations. But what we know is when we make it clear, and what you're asking is reasonable, the vast majority of people will align. And those who don't, then those are the folks that you will help exit. Elvis is leaving the building. Not because Elvis is a bad person, but because Elvis, when given the opportunity to shift and align with the new boss, said, No, thank you very much. And then Elvis needs to leave.

Scott 7:45

And at the end of the day, you know, you start to look at, and there's so many examples of organizations and and whether they're private, public, government, right? It's like, oh wow, this the lap, the last leader didn't do anything right. Well, no, I mean, this is a place where you take ownership, you have to then say, here's what I'm gonna go do. And I mean, I talk with a number of leaders that are like, hey, I have this. I was actually talking with a leader a few weeks ago, and they've done some really great work in their organization, and they're talking about this one person. And I said, Well, so let me ask you, is this new behavior? And they're like, Well, no. I mean, you know, now that I think about it, not really. I said, Okay. So what you're really saying is you've done all the work on the biggest challenges, and now they're your biggest challenge. And I think that is just reality. That doesn't mean let's go fire and then a little later we're gonna fire. It just means, hey, I'm gonna like, what are my biggest one or two challenges? And I'm gonna work on that, and which might mean I'm not working on every single thing with every single person. Like that, I think that's just a reality that we can all, yeah. In an ideal state, I'm having every conversation I need to have as a leader, and I'm doing it every time, and like I'm on top of it. And I don't know anyone that does that. Uh, I don't do that. Yeah, like I'm I'm prioritizing. And so what they realized was like, oh, yeah, it's time for them to evolve. Okay, what's the plan? And what and what timeline do you need to give them? And what do you need to see on the other side so that you can take the organization to the next level?

Tammy 9:28

Scott, I love what you just said, right? Because here's the deal if you have to lose 50 pounds, you don't go from you know, where you are to 50 pounds lighter overnight.

Scott 9:39

You I can't like if you need that, I can make you I can make that happen for you.

Build A Leadership Plan For Next Year

Tammy 9:43

Cut off both of my legs. I know for sure. I get it, okay? But reality is that's too painful. I want to keep my legs, right? So this piece in that space is truly to say I'm knocking down things one at a time. It also means I'm oftentimes like raising my expectations for the team. I'm not going to take them necessarily. Let's say it's a team and it's really not functioning well. Let's say if we gave them a grade, they're a D. I can't take them to an A overnight, but I can go from D to C. Okay. And then, all right, I'm just at a C level. Who's still D? They get to go. All right. Then I take them from C to B. And now some people aren't going to go with me. Okay. And now I get that space. And so it really is incremental. It's not a just come in and like, like, all right, I need an A team today. Most organizations can't afford or are unwilling to go from a team who's completely D to like, I'll get rid of them all and hopefully bring in all A's. We try to save people and we try to help people grow into that because most people are capable of growing if we're going to do the work. And so in that space, that's probably what happens. It's like, hey, I dealt with my D's and now I got my next problem. One person, right? Who I need to like work and help them. If I can't, then I'm going to have that person leave. But in the meantime, I'm going to give them a chance to grow or go, which is our statement, right? And everybody has a chance to grow. That's our job as a leader. But if they choose not to, then they need to go. So you're right, Scott. That's that's wonderful. Like you're each new, this becomes the priority.

Scott 11:29

It's really I think of it as it's it's really, hey, the organization has a strategic plan. Great. What is your leadership plan? When you look at your folks and where you're going and how that fits in with strategy, what's your plan? And do you have someone who's not quite the right fit, the right whatever that is? What's your plan? And that that might mean I have a one-year plan because I need to give them time to build a skill. And so many times we just accept it.

Tammy 12:02

Think about what you just said. I have a plan for my department and for its growth and development for the next year. Wait, that's my job. Yeah, leader. One job. Right? Right now, more than likely, you're out there actually worrying about the work that your department is being getting done. That's not your job. That's your staff's job to get the work of your department done. Your job, Mr. or Mrs. Leader, is to say, hey, how am I preparing and growing my team, not just to get the work done today, but the work that's going to need to be done next year and the year after, you should have a plan for growing and developing your department to add more and more and more value for the organization. So if you're in the daily work and if all you're worried about is these people getting the work done and it's about the work of the department, you think your job is the work of the department. You don't understand what a leader's job is yet. Right. Oh, Scott, that was brilliant. Hate to tell you that, hate to build your head up, but that was a really brilliant statement that you just made. And hopefully it sinks in.