Details

Created on Thursday, 11 June 2009 02:54

Written by Mitch McCrimmon, Ph.D.

Why do so many executives entering senior positions in a new organization fire (sweep out) most or all of their inherited direct reports? Are these people really deadwood or is there something especially difficult about such transitions that many executives manage poorly?

The New Broom

• Executives coming into a company in a senior position feel vulnerable and are anxious to prove themselves quickly.
• By acting precipitatively, they alienate the people they most need to help them achieve anything. Hesitant team members are than seen as resistant to change.
• Sweeping aside inherited subordinates is sometimes necessary, but is often a defensive reaction to eliminate perceived enemies.
• The desire to bring in colleagues from your former company is also an emotional response to the loss of your support group.
• Under pressure to deliver quickly, you may welcome scapegoats as a way of buying time.
• Firing people helps you to assert your authority, but may simply be your need to act aggressivly out of a feeling of being cornered.
• Putting forward your ideas for change too quickly will almost certainly cause resistance, which will "justify" getting rid of people.
• But maybe your need to make your mark quickly caused the resistance in the first place rather than your ideas themselves.

Share this post