Where ever you work if there is a pending change in leadership in your department you can expect product activity ( work ) to slow down for up to 6 months or as little as 3 months.  It starts when the old leader is about to leave as people concentrate on what needs to be done to make the new leaders transition into the olds spot more successful and ends when the new leaders ways are finally accepted by the old staff.  This is why so many times when the old leader goes he takes his old staff with him so to speak - even if they don't end up in the same spot.  The new leader wants a well oilded machine and brings those in or keeps those that don't give them back talk and therefore get the job done more quickly.

But is this a wise move?  So many would say yes.  I say no, you can loose a lot of talent in this way and who is to say the new talent can ever come up to and match what the old had to offer.  What is wrong with a little "no" opinion once in awhile verses the constant agreenemnt.  How can you view an entire situation when you are wearing blinders?

New leaders need to strive through the out with the old in with the new (transition) period by making issues surface, by clarifying expectations, building mutual trust and most importantly being able to explain fully and completly their leadership philosphy.

Weekly meetings, bouncing ideas among the work force, listening fully, suggesting slightly. evaluating and implementing are keys to any leadership ability in any work environment. 

A good leader must encourage and help build subordinate leaders who are confident in their ability and who are competent in the analizes of other people's abilties and able to make a time tested decision on what they know, what they see, what they hear and what they read.  True leaders bring their gut instincts to the job, but leave their persaonal woes, hates, likes and dislikes at the curb.

To have a well working team, where no one gets ahead of the other, but works in cinck with each other a leader must do more than set at a desk.  They must understand & support without being a bully or a walk over ( wishy washy ).  They must command without commanding.  Must walk the line - not as a tight rope walker - but as a person who believes in their team.  Who makes it happen with guidness and respect.  It is the only way that the team jointly pursues common goals and objectitives for making a more perfect working department.

The new leader soon realizes and conteplates their first overall assessment of the organizations strength's (key players), critical issues (the fumblers), priorities (what needs to get done), activties (what you must do), personnel (the team) and their role in seeing that everything is brought together as a well oiled machine.

After every meeting a leader and those who wish to some day lead, should set down and write only from what they remember took place in the meeting.  They should not read their notes, their own or the meetings.  What they gleam from this is an understanding of not only how the meeting went but of how succesful the team is making things happen.  The leader needs to digest the information and make productive decsions for the good of the company and the team as a whole.  Improvment is the key and stallmate is why leaders loose their positions to someone who better understands the responsilites, the rights and the efforts of any good leader. 

A leader must be in control, but he must also have the full support of his team - it is up to a true leader to make this happen.  The leader is the cornerstone - do you have what it takes?

A leader must inspire not crush.  They must be vigorous without being overwhelming.  They must develop without intimation.  They must provide value without condescentation.  They must operate effectively without alarming.  They must be.

The key is in the listening and if the idea is worth supporting for the good of the company - do what it takes to accomplish it.  Listen without blaming.  Do not underestimate the team, support it.   Commintment of the team demands a committed leader.  A leader must have the support of the team to be effective as surely as they must have the ears of those above them. 

A leader encouages input from their subordinates and evaluate them while encouging and guiding them.  A bad team makes a bad leader.  While a good team makes a leader shine.  But a wise leader gives credit to the team before taking credit for themselves.  A simple statment, "I have a great team, we work together for maxium proficency, " says it all and will install further confidance in the team.  While a statment that says, "It's a tough job but I make sure it gets done, " says how you feel about you and gives no importance to the team.  Without the team the leader is nothing.

A leader does their homework, before they come on the job  as wll as during it.  Before he steps foot in his new office they will have talked to peer leaders, superiors and the outgoing leader.  They will have gleamed the following information;

• What works well with this group of people
• What doesn't work
• What is rosey but has a hidden underwater tow
• What is the first thing that will need to be done
• What direction is the team striving for
• What is the jobs purpose
• What is the ultimate goal
• Can the team accept the word - no - without a lengthy explaination
• What policies should continue
• What policies should be filed in the garbage
• Are their policies that should be started
• What needs to be accomplished in the longest time frame
• What are the higher ups - up to
• What are the higher ups plans for the group
• How do you fit into those plans
• What are the strengths of the team
• The strengths of upper managment
• What is the weakness of the team as well as higher managment
• Where do you fit in
• What do you plan to make happen that is a betterment for all
• How will you make it happen
• How effective will you be
• What's critical - what's not

There are other questions that are equally as important that you need to find out - but each situation is important as well as different.  For instance you might think about if the team is a large one - how can it be broke down to smaller groups of 15 or less to secure the most productivity.

If you develop several teams you could have smaller meetings say once a week with each team and then gather them all together once a month to share, listen and evaluate the process as a whole.  When the team is to large - the one bad seed that you can't get rid of - for whatever reason - seems to ripen with a bigger audience.  Mutal trust, openness to the issues and the goals is built in smaller groups and expanded into the larger group - but not on a regular basics does the larger group work well.  We have all heard the termonology - doesn't play well with others.  This is a death sentence for any organization. 

If you are intersted in more guides like this one I need to see postive votes.  No votes means I needn't bother - you are already a great leader and need no more insight.  Improvement is the key for everyone and especially for a real leader.