In this episode, Dominic Gourley and Fiona Hogarth, consultants at Human Synergistics Australia, delve into one of the most challenging yet rewarding roles a leader can face—inheriting an underperforming team. Whether you’re stepping into a new organization or just taking on a fresh team, there’s a lot to navigate. How do you establish trust, build relationships, and set clear direction for success? Join Dom and Fiona as they break it all down with practical tips and insights you can use today.
In This Episode:
- Understanding the Lay of the Land: Why it’s important to observe first and listen before diving into action.
- Diagnosing the Team’s Dynamics: How to assess whether your new team is productive, dysfunctional, or somewhere in between.
- Setting Clear Direction: Once you understand the situation, what’s the next step in aligning your team around shared goals?
- Team Norms and Philosophy: Setting expectations and introducing your leadership style—how do you want your team to work together?
- Creating Accountability: The importance of setting clear goals, establishing a rhythm, and holding everyone to account.
- Communication & Engagement: Tips on how to navigate different personalities, especially the quieter team members who might have the best insights.
- Reassessing Your Approach: The importance of revisiting your strategies and making adjustments as you move forward.
- Empowering Your Team: How to give your team the autonomy to succeed while ensuring you’re there to guide them when necessary.
- Celebrating Wins: Don’t forget to take time to acknowledge progress and milestones along the way!
Key Takeaways When Inheriting an Underperforming Team
- Take a moment to observe: Before making any big moves, it’s critical to understand the team’s dynamics and the organizational environment. Think of it as a “Bear Grylls” moment—take a knee and assess the situation.
- Diagnose the team: Is the team high-performing, dysfunctional, or somewhere in between? Build relationships, understand the challenges, and determine the best course of action.
- Create a shared vision: Bring the team together, set clear goals, and ensure everyone knows what they’re working toward. Establish your leadership philosophy and how you’ll guide the team moving forward.
- Set clear expectations: Build in a rhythm for meetings and team check-ins. Ensure accountability, but also provide space for open feedback.
- Empower your team: Allow autonomy and encourage ownership of their work. Create a culture of collaboration where team members take initiative, solve problems, and hold themselves accountable.
- Celebrate progress: Regularly check-in and celebrate milestones. Reinforce positive behavior and adjust your approach as necessary.
Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
- The First 100 Days – A bestselling book on leadership transitions that highlights the importance of the first 100 days for new leaders.
- Human Synergistics Australia – Learn more about how Human Synergistics can support your leadership development and organizational culture.
About Culture Bites:
Culture Bites is a podcast dedicated to turning culture theory into everyday insights. Hosted by Dominic Gourley, a consultant at Human Synergistics Australia, the show provides listeners with actionable strategies for building healthy, high-performing teams and organizations. Whether you’re a new leader or an experienced one, Culture Bites gives you the tools to succeed.
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Copyright Information:
This podcast is copyrighted by Human Synergistics Australia. All Rights Reserved.
To learn more about what we do, visit Human Synergistics.