What advice would you give me when I take over a new department with a weak team?

You are correct to not make any drastic changes at first. Meet with each team member to get to know them. Try to identify their individual strengths and weaknesses. Find out where they are at in comparison to the mission and vision of the company & unit. Consider using an assessment tool such as EverythingDiSC to provide a basis for how they can best work and communicate within the team. Look for any potential cancerous members - someone who might have a bad attitude to the point they will be a detriment to your leadership and the mission. If they can't be reprogrammed, replace them.

I always look for employee's strengths and desires and try to move them into positions that align with both. Attitude, aptitude and loyalty are more important than current skills in many cases. Skills can be trained.

Devise a plan after all your meetings and evaluations. Assuming you need to make changes, do so methodically and on a timeline that meets company objectives but is not abrupt - if possible. Sometimes a drastic shift is needed to shock teams into new paradigms. But, that would be the exception if you are a people leader. Lead people, manage systems.

If you would like to chat further, I provide free 30 minute consultations to first time callers. Use the link below.

https://clarity.fm/kevinmccarthy/FreeConsult

Best regards,

Kevin McCarthy
www.KevinMcCarthy.com

Hey,

One thing that I would do, if possible, is to try and get some time with everyone on the team individually. Work out what sort of challenges they are facing, what they like, what the dislike, etc. Also, take the time to hear them as 'people'. Furthermore, spend time communicating what your values are, why they are important to you and what your 'philosophy' of managing/leading is. In my experience this makes the transition much easier for everyone.

I really hope it goes well! All the best.

Jonny McCormick
www.table15.co

Hi,
This is a courageous and smart move to put your question forward.
If you want to get a success out of this team, make sure that you agree with them on company core values, core objective, and derived team core values and team core objective. Further agree with them on what your team’s added value would be for the company. Then discuss with them who will be doing what in creating that added value, and agree with them (the group) on how to reach your goals or objectives. This way, it will be a shared responsibility, where they will support each other to reach best results.

Use the “Now, discover your strengths!” test from the Gallup Organization to find out what each individuals’ talents are, and decide with them on who will be doing what, based on their talents (or themes as Gallup calls them). This will allow them to see that you are genuinely trying to make the best of the situation, and have their well being and successfulness as a prerogative for the teams’ success. Look at them and coach them to perform as well as they can in their individual roles. Leave ample room for personal creativeness, but watch out for them “not breaking the bank."

Use the leverage you will “demand” from your superior to build this team (based on his assumption that this is a weak team) to create a period of build up to enhance the quality of this team. Demand a period for a year to build this up. After all, he is putting the problem in your lap! (Why didn’t he solve it himself?) Measure consistently on performance improvement, and use that to sustain leverage.

You might be astonished as to what the team might come up with!

Kind regards,
Swier Miedema.

www.strengthmanagement.nl

This is a common issue...and I may have a different opinion here with my startup and scaling organizations experience.

In fact, I want to cherry pick from another answer "I would suggest that you take more ownership of the decision to accept this position in the first place."

My feeling on this is that if you think the team is weak already, you are setting yourself up to fail. People have greatness in them. With that said, the counter is that sometimes people are unwilling to change or take action. Finding out which type of people you have here is important. Also, everyone thinks differently -- you may come in with your checklist, but they may not be checklist type thinkers. You may come in with your ideas and they may revolt! Sometimes you will be the oddball out and they will think you are weak.

If you can terminate these employees they will never be completely honest with you if they are fearful of their job. So surveying them about "what they think"...not so sure about that. Also, giving them even a hint of aggressiveness may cause a lot of trauma.

Going back to the previous comment - do your homework on this one. Find out how open your supervisors are to personnel change.

And now for my best recommendation --- there is a book called 'The First 90 Days' that I think may be a tremendous resource for you. It covers the "transition" from your perspective and your employees perspective which very few managers ever think about.

Cheers - you'll do fine and they will love you.

Nick