Finding Answers

You have been promoted.  On your way towards your new team your boss has given you a review of their capabilities.  They are bad.  Not just bad… really horrible.  Dead last in all measures and getting worse.  You could describe them as the Detroit Lions of your company: perennial underachievers.  Now it is your turn to turn them around and prove that you are worthy of the job.

You have options that sit on a spectrum.  On one side of the spectrum is fire everyone and start over.  On the other side is to keep everyone and try to coach/lead them to success.  You will most likely fall somewhere in between.  Any actions you take when a team is that bad must be seen as drastic and swift.

Do not make it a habit.

A losing team is like a habit that is easy to slide into.  They always have a rational explanation as to why they lost.  First there was the quota, the company was unfair and set it too high.  Second, the marketing materials just could not adequately answer every question our customers’ had.  Third, the leadership kept changing and we could not get into a groove.  Fourth, there was a natural unexpected catastrophe.  Fifth… well, you get the picture.  It becomes easy to come up with the many reasons as to why “we as a team stink”: it is never our fault.

Punishment is not for the benefit of the sinner but for the salvation of his comrades. — George Patton

You, as the new leader, need to break that mentality quickly and with shock.  Deciding to fire or reassign someone from the team can do this.  Now, no one who has a conscience likes to fire anyone.  You are going to disrupt someone’s life drastically and their loved ones.  This should be a decision that should be thought through thoroughly.  Conversely, reassigning someone who is a poor performer or negative spirit to another team can be considered “sweeping the problem under the rug.”  You could be just delaying the inevitable of this person getting fired anyway.

This decision is going to be a difficult one for you.  It should be.  You need to measure your decision against the following criteria:

• What is my intent and what can be the unintended consequences?
• How will the organization benefit from my actions?
• How will the team benefit from the changes I will make?
• When is the best time to release this shock?

Keep in my mind that while you are answering the criteria above the clock is running and all eyes are on you.  Your boss, peers, and company are looking for you to make a change.  Your team is anxious and also looking for the next excuse to hang their losing ways on.  Once you have your answers be decisive and act.

I’m intense, competitive, focused, blunt, and tough, yes.  That’s fair.  I’m guilty. — Lou Gerstner

How would these leaders turn failure around?

A great movie that demonstrates a leader quickly coming in and establishing a new tone to a losing team is called, Twelve O’clock High.  The leader, played by Gregory Peck, takes over a bombing squadron during WW II that has the highest casualty rate and cannot follow through on their missions.   He starts with shock to break the losing mentality the squadron was having by getting rid off and holding accountable individuals who perpetuated it.   He kicks one bad apple out of the unit and demotes another.  The rest of the unit sees both actions as swift accountable actions. Excuses were quickly quelled.  Of course he goes on to make other changes and turns the team around.

You wanted to be a leader.  This is what leaders do: make difficult decisions.  Firing or reassigning people are difficult decisions but they need to be done.  Along with inspiring, holding high standards that make your team reach, coaching for excellence, and providing a vision for success also comes discipline.  Are you sure you still want the job?

What other turn around films would you recommend?  What other criteria do you use?

About the author:

Erroin A. Martin is a Business Advocate with the Von Gehr Consulting Group, LLC, a business coaching and consultancy provider for business owners, executives, and entrepreneurs. He has fifteen years experience working within the pharmaceutical, manufacturing, natural resources, medical devices, software, technology, business services, and agriculture industries in various levels of leadership across six continents. He has led diverse teams in sales, marketing, planning, and in the Army.  He currently coaches business leaders and physicians in the tools needed, like social media, to plan for their success. Learn more about the Von Gehr Consulting Group, LLC at www.vongehrconsulting.com or call +1 203 433 8079.  You can follow him on Twitter at @Erroin

The Von Gehr Consulting Group, LLC, was founded by Erroin A. Martin to provide business coaching, business consulting, and other services to companies both large and small.  The primary goal is to have his clients be passionate about their business and reach the unachievable.