Clarify roles on a struggling work team

Q: I was recently given responsibility for a somewhat struggling work group at my company. I had worked with them previously, but not closely. In my first month I’ve been concerned about the lack of understanding of their roles — some of them had never even seen their job descriptions — and resistance to change as I put more structure in place. What do you recommend?

A: The people on this team have not been set up to succeed, so it’s up to you to help them turn the corner.

Going into a situation like this, you are best served by assuming that everyone is intrinsically motivated to do a good job. Not surprisingly, they may tend to emphasize the tasks they like doing and are best at. They will also become attached to the role as they envision it, leading to the resistance you are now encountering.

Given likely issues, the worst approach would be to come in tough and lay down the law. Instead, do your homework on the team’s responsibilities so that you are clear on what needs to be accomplished.

Then talk to your team. Take an open-ended approach, getting their input on the transition from their previous manager to you, what they like and don’t like about their role as it has evolved, and concerns they may have about the change.

Be prepared to have strong emotions surface among your team. Anticipate how you will deal with anger, anxiety, even grief over the change so that you are not blindsided by it.

Now, taking all this into account, it’s your job to create a plan that best suits your situation, distributing both the positives and the perceived downsides fairly. Strive to build in opportunity for growth within every role, and also build in the level of cross training and back up that your team needs.