In today’s work environment, there’re more demands for leaders than ever; leaders to lead organizations, teams, and even projects. As a result of these demands, leaders are being promoted and flipped at a pace we have never seen before, which is creating a tense work environment filled with complexities and uncertainties. Many leaders are accepting new roles with little information and no training, and they are expected to produce results immediately. So, how can you lead effectively and efficiently from day one and produce results in no time?
In 2002, early in my professional career, I was working as an outdoor sales executive for a regional telecommunication company in the Southeast Region of the US. It was my second year in the company and I was one of their top salespeople. I built a reputation in the company and amongst my peers as a highly driven, ambitious, and smart worker.
As a result of my achievements in my first two years there, I was promoted to become the youngest Area Sales Manager in the company, managing 14 sales professionals across three cities. It was a challenging – yet rewarding – role with high expectations.
Then suddenly, at the age of 28, I became a manager over an area that was already a top revenue-generating market in the company, and the challenge was formidable. My challenge was not only to maintain a high level of productivity – which had been reached by my predecessor – but also to lead a diverse sales team with strong personalities. As expected, I had few of them backing me for the new role; some believed that they deserved the job more than I did, and others felt that I was not up to the challenge.
Facing some resistance, I had to act swiftly and decisively. After all, my actions would have a direct impact on the team as a whole and the revenues generated. Many ideas came to me on ways that I could approach these challenges. I could act tough and show them who’s the boss. I could alternatively show them that I was a know-it-all and tell them what to do. After all, I was an award-winning top sales professional in the company.
In the end, I decided to go with the 3rd option which is to win everyone over just like what my predecessor had done when he took over the team. Two key things I learned from him include: (1) to respect people for who they are and (2) to create the environment for them to excel. I decided to put people at the forefront of everything I do. This mindset put my team at the top in the company and this has proven to be successful throughout the last 20 years.
Here are strategies I used back then, and I still recommend them for my colleagues and clients to make sure to have a strong, productive and highly engaged team from day one:
Bonus: Ask for feedback. You will be surprised how people are willing to help you and direct you towards better results if you allow them to.
You may have noticed that I mentioned trust multiple times. Trust is the key to creating a healthy work environment where psychological safety exists. Yes, your goal is to achieve your company’s strategic objectives, but you will not be able to achieve them without a fully functioning team.
With the rate at which the business world is evolving – thanks in large part to digitalization and globalization – the pace at which leaders are flipping isn’t likely to slow down any time soon. Given that, we must acknowledge the new world order and create future leaders that can keep up with the pace of change. The above is my recommendation for embracing the new leadership realities within companies. It’s worked well for me and for many executives and I’m confident it’s a great starting point for you too.
I wish I had read this article before, I went through a tough experience when i was brought to a new company to manage a not very welcoming team, and I did exactly what you just said but after doing it wrong first, thanks for sharing!
Thanks Zahi for sharing some of your wisdom! I think your bonus point about asking for feedback is among the most important! I used to think that I am “open for feedback” until I received feedback recently that really surprised me. Although it was not easy, I know that I can’t really grow without it. Keep sharing & educating the new leaders🙂
great Article, you mentioned really neat ques and tips, specially about starting by managing the change. From my own experience, understanding how changes affects people and knowing how to contain the reaction to the change from the team is a crucial success factor
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