Between 27 and 46 percent of leadership transitions end in failure, with organizational politics being the main challenge. Nearly 70 percent of leaders wish they had changed the culture faster. To navigate this transition successfully, leaders should acknowledge the previous leader’s contributions, create space for forgiveness, and understand the experiences of their new team.
Taking over a new team means dealing with the successes and weaknesses of the prior leader. If you follow a successful leader, your performance will be compared to theirs. If you follow a weak manager, you must take responsibility for their mistakes and show a new vision for the team.
In any organization, poor management can cause damage, and new leaders often need to take bold action to save the team while preserving its positive aspects. Even experienced leaders find it challenging to balance these pressures. Successful new leaders implement three core elements to transform their teams.
- Recognize the successes of the past leader. Good leaders separate the future from the past. While it may be tempting to blame the prior leader for every problem, even disliked leaders did something positive. Employees may have varied opinions on what worked well and what needs to change, so new leaders should acknowledge the positive impacts of their predecessors while addressing the challenges honestly.
- Create a vision for tomorrow by making room for forgiveness. Most poor supervisors have good intentions, and acknowledging this can open the door to forgiveness. By admitting the gap between the prior leader’s intent and results, new leaders humanize their predecessor, allowing the team to move forward. Forgiveness creates space for new possibilities and helps the team let go of past resentment.
- Seek to understand your employees’ experiences. Simply taking over from a problematic leader doesn’t automatically make someone a great leader. New leaders should involve their team in shaping the future by listening to their experiences under the previous leadership. Understanding the impact of the prior supervisor helps in developing a new vision. Inclusive management, where employees feel heard and represented, is key to becoming an effective leader.
In a real-life example, a new CEO took over a large company and spent a month surveying and interviewing employees at all levels before announcing any new plans. This approach gained enthusiasm from the employees, as they felt their voices were considered in the strategic plan.
Moving on is easier when employees feel understood. By acknowledging the gap between the intentions and actions of the previous leader, committing to a new vision, and actively seeking input from the team, new leaders can effectively tap into the wisdom and energy of the organization. This approach paves the way for a future that surpasses the past.
