Every Company Needs a Good Map

Establishing new rules and the way they are initially implemented sets the tone for the future. As discussed in the previous two posts a new leader has several challenges when stepping into an existing situation. After the issue of being a stranger in a strange land has been dealt with, it is time to establish who is the boss. Covey says that one of the habits of highly successful leaders is a desire to first seek to understand, then to be understood. He does not say a leader has an infinite amount of time to gain that understanding. (Gannon Beck has an interesting Marine Corps version of the 7 Habits - a very entertaining read.)

Each of the following has advantages
1.    Draconian change
2.    Gradual transition
3.    Shock and Awe
4.    Arm wrestling
5.    Meek and Mild

Which side of the line benefits the most depends on which strategy is chosen and how well the appropriate strategy is employed…

 Draconian change - By rewriting as many rules as possible and making enforcement swift and severe a new leader attempts to demonstrate who is the boss. A heavy hand can be lightened later on, but excessive force can cause permanent damage. This can be the required method where flagrant violations of ethics, laws, and industry regulations have been allowed to occur too frequently. A message may be required to signal that a new sheriff is in town and things are going to be different now.

Gradual transition - Is situations where everything was going well and the previous leader was promoted or left for personal reasons, it is best to learn and get a feel for the current climate first. Rocking a boat that is doing well is probably unnecessary and demonstrates weakness on the part of the new leader. Changing a team that is functioning, simply to demonstrate power, only demonstrates an inability to use power correctly. This method does not work when a team is not functioning well. It only serves to reinforce entrenched behaviors.

Shock and Awe - This is best demonstrated by firing the first person who remotely steps out of line. It may work in situations where there has been excessive insubordination and in cases where a particular employee is demonstrating a determination to undermine authority or intimidate other team members. A warning to those who are not causing trouble is probably a good thing. It's best if those who are not causing trouble are not made to feel as if they are a part of the problem. Confronting a troublemaker with a stern and determined first strike sends a powerful message. Limited warnings and follow-through on them is required for this to have any effect. Failure to punish those who have been warned damages the new leaders ability and reputation.

Arm wrestling - This is where a new leader engages in a power struggle with entrenched, or existing, groups or individuals in the team. In an effort to be overly friendly, a leader will allow behaviors to persist hoping they will be dealt with at another time. This can also happen when, instead of taking control of the complete situation, the leader chooses only certain battles to fight. A leader who picks small issues may win those battles but loses the war because the important issues are not addressed or corrected. A leader should only arm-wrestle, and only on big issues, when there is not chance of losing. The outcome of the battle will reverberate across the whole field.

Meek and Mild - Too much weakness, or a timid approach, can undermine future attempts to discipline or establish order. A small team with a particularly reserved nature will often dictate the rare instances where this method can actually work. In fact, it may be the only way to handle such a situation. This is particularly important when the founder is a part of the group the new leader is going to take charge of. This last issue will be covered in part 4, Founder issues.