Dear Bob ...
I was just hired to a "desk o'death." Having read you for years, I'm familiar with your advice in this situation -- to listen for the first month, avoid making commitments, and to have direct conversations with any direct reports who think they should have my job.
[ Also on InfoWorld: "Notes for new managers: Assert your authority early on" | Get sage advice on IT careers and management from Bob Lewis in InfoWorld's Advice Line newsletter. ]
So far, so good. In my first week of listening, it's already apparent my department is in shambles. Nobody understands the whole picture, nobody really wants to, for that matter, and (no surprise) if anyone trusts anyone, it's because the department has broken into factions and most employees have chosen sides.
I'm concerned that if I take your advice as given, by the time I'm ready to act I'll have built a reputation as something of a pacifist rather than the new sheriff in town. Any suggestions on how to split the difference?
- Badged
Assuming your department is small enough, conduct an all-hands. Before you do, meet with your senior staff. It's an important courtesy, to let them know what's going to happen so they aren't caught off-guard.
The main messages for this first encounter:
Explain what you'll be looking for in your first two rounds of one-on-one conversations, which is:
First one-on-one: Getting a handle on how the work gets done. Each employee should come prepared to explain what they do using the "black box model":
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