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Is it a different experience to lead a team when you've been promoted from within?
Submitted by Another Steve on Mon, 06/01/2009 - 20:30.
Question Category:
Professional Leadership
Last year I was promoted to lead the team which I've worked in for the last 3 years. I feel that knowing everyone in the team very well on a working level is an advantage. On the flip side I can be tempted to get involved "in the weeds" close to my old role rather than looking at the bigger picture. I wonder if anyone here has experienced both promotion from within and leading a team new to them and can share the differences?
I've experienced both situations and they both have their good and bad points. When you're promoted within the team you are, as you say, familiar with how things work. However, you also have to deal with all the baggage and office politics that can go along with a promotion. The people who think they should have got the role or, quite simply, that you shouldn't have got it. It can be harder to convince people that you're the right person for the job.
On the other hand, coming into a team fresh allows you to set a standard right from the start that is not associated in any way to your previous role. Coming in fresh can also give you a unique insight to what is happening in the team and what needs to happen in the team. Sometimes when you've worked somewhere for a whlie you tend not to see the forrest for the trees.
I have had experience both ways and it is actually much harder being promoted from within. you really need to take a step back and unless someone is one of your very best mates of years then distance a little bit and make a conscious effort not to get involved with the nitty gritty. You are likely to have their respect already assuming your promotion was deserved. Stay very professional. Also as was highlighted by NL week get a mentor in the company so that you hhve someone to go to if you need instead of your team - never ask within the team about advice to deal with another team member it wouln't be fair ion either of them.
Forgive the long posting - I have coaches several people in this exact situation - here is my advice:
One day you are part of a team –same “grade, ”similar role and one of the inner circle that socialises, chats openly, and are good friends.
The next you are promoted to being their boss.
One of the most challenging areas of leadership, and one that requires specific attitude, behaviour and actions.
You are now the manager, the leader, and it is you that will determine if this is going to work –not them. They will have their thoughts, their jealousies and their whispers as to how and w hy you were chosen, it is up to you to overcome these through what you say, and more importantly, what you do.
Follow this sequence of events and you will succeed:
1. Identify anyone in the team who either applied for the role you now have, or considers themselves worthy of that role. Have a relaxed one to one with them and ask them how they are feeling. Ask them open questions and let them talk, listen and empathise. Never say that you did not want the position (why did you accept then?) or imply that they deserved it more. Just listen and acknowledge any feelings, and close by thanking them for their openness and thoughts, and by saying that while some things are bound to change –socialising etc. you will still be a team, built on mutual respect and trust, and then thank them for their help in making sure this will be a success. Give them a standard that you expect of them f or them to live up to.
2.. Do the same with the single most powerful opinion-former in the team –the person everyone refers to and looks up to because of their time of service or personality. Again, do not make it obvious you are singling them out –add this chat on to a normal work discussion, perhaps.
3. If you have a team of under say 20, it is worth doing the above with everyone, in apparent random order but actually doing 1 and 2 first. Then hold an open forum, in which you tell them you will trust them 100%, while you seek to earn their trust as their leader. Share your style that you will adopt, and make sure you focus on projects and tasks to be done, as well. Do not say you are sorry to have the role, equally do not show superiority over them. If you feel really brave invite the team to be the very best team of all time and then do a one day transformation with the team (I know people who can help you with this).
4. Be yourself. Always focus on your vision as a team, on making true decisions and on taking action. Be clear what everyone is doing and create an unstoppable unit –book 2 –blue –covers much of this.
5. Do not be hard on yourself –you got this position because you deserved it. And above all else, ask yourself every day, would you pass the acid test of leadership? –If you were stripped of your job title, your position and your traits of office, would you still get the best from your people. When the day arrives that you can truly answer “yes ”to that question, you have arrived.
David T
Rohan, Rosalind and David,
Thanks for sharing your experiences and advice, very helpful and I'm grateful to you all. I've certainly experienced the not seeing the forest for the trees moments and make a very concious effort now to step back which was hard at first but is getting easier with time. Fortunately, nobody in the team competed with me to get the role and I don't get any vibes that anyone thinks I shouldn't have got the role. I think I'm very lucky in that respect - everyone said that they were pleased for me when I took up the role (team is 13 strong). I'm currently seeking an in company mentor and will be receiving 5 coaching sessions over the next 6 months as part of a company leadership course, which is exciting! I had a mentor a while ago who has since moved on and that occassional sanity check is like gold dust, I really miss it now. David's "Be Yourself" struck a real chord, as human beings I think we have a tendancy to fear being ourselves. However, the best way to be consistent in your vision is to be yourself all the time.
Cheers,
Steve
I have been promoted within and it didn't really work. I'm sure I didn't get the respect from people I deserved. So I got out.