Jennifer was in a new leadership position. She was placed in charge of an industrial shop of about 100 people ranging from barely out of high school to much older than her. The shop had been successful, though not as successful as it could have been. The leader she replaced was not particularly personable and saw only subordinates, not individuals. Jennifer's challenge was to bring the shop together into a more cohesive team and improve production and work quality.

What do you see as Jennifer's biggest challenge?

Jennifer's biggest challenge is likely to be gaining trust and loyalty. Some leaders, like her predecessor don't think this is important, but it can spell the difference between okay performance and great success. She needs to overcome what is often the worker's view that the boss doesn't really care about them.

What are some actions you would advise Jennifer to take?

I would advise Jennifer to set some realistic goals for the shop. These may be goals the larger organization has already assigned, or some she is given by her boss. Either way, the goals will serve as a common starting point. I would then have her gather all the shop's personnel to introduce herself and make it clear that she is excited about helping them excel. A shop this size probably has some subordinate leaders and Jennifer must not ignore them or usurp their authority. At the same time the shop has no doubt developed an informal leadership network. Jennifer needs to use both formal and informal leaders to help her get her message out. Overcoming the atmosphere left by the former boss will take time but the result will be better moral and improved production. One thing she should not do is walk into the new job with guns blazing. It's wise to take a little time first to get a better idea of what is really going on in the shop.

PLAN - LEAD - EXCEL