The Leader’s Pack For

Meeting Individuals

When Taking Over A Team

Imagine you are taking over a team and have already taken the

following steps.

You will have done your research and know what must be done to

lead the team to success.

You will have made clear contracts with the key stakeholders - your

employer and other key people - about the picture of success.

You will have a clear mandate from these stakeholders to do

whatever is necessary to guide the team to success.

You will created a provisional picture of success. At the same time,

however, you think it may be useful to have meetings with people in

the team you are taking over.

Introduction

You will obviously conduct these meetings in your own way. But

here is one approach.

Explain that before the sessions you would like each person to do

some pre-work. Say that you obviously have a view of the team's

goals, strategy and road to success.

You would, however, also like to get their in-put.

Invite each person to complete the following piece of work and send

it to you before the session.

The Team Member’s

Pre-Work Pack For

The One-To-One Session

Dear …

As you know, I have recently taken over the leadership role in the

team.

Obviously I have some clear ideas about the team’s goals, strategy

and road to success. But it is also important to get your input. So I

would like to meet with you for a one-to-one session.

Bearing this in mind, I would like you to do some pre-work before

the session. You can send it to me ahead of the session.

We can then use it to focus on how we can work well together to

achieve the team’s goals.

Here is an introduction to the exercises.

Introduction

My view of the team’s goals

Describe what you believe should be the team’s goals for us to

achieve success. Some goals are obviously given to us and are

mandatory, but we would also like your views.

My view of the team’s strategies

Describe what you believe should be the three key strategies the

team should follow to achieve these goals.

My view of the team’s challenges

Describe what you believe to be the team’s key challenges and how

we can tackle these successfully.

My strengths

Describe the activities in which you deliver As, Bs and Cs. We will

aim to encourage you to build on your strengths and manage the

consequences of any weaknesses.

My best contribution

Bearing in mind the team’s goals and your strengths, describe what

you believe would be your best contribution to achieving the team’s

goals.

There are obviously many things the team needs to deliver, so we

cannot guarantee that it will be possible to completely create this

role. But it is important for us to know what you believe would be

your best contribution.

There is also space for highlighting any other topics you would like

to discuss in the one-to-one.

The pre-work will take some time. It invites you to focus on the

team’s overall strategy, as well as your part.

So set aside some time to do the exercises. You can send it to me

ahead of the session and then we will explore it together.

My View Of The

Team’s Goals

The following pages invite you to describe what you believe

should be the team’s goals if we are to achieve success.

As mentioned, some goals will be given to us and are mandatory,

but we would also like your views.

I believe the team’s top

three goals should be:

1) To

For example:

*

*

*

The Team’s Goals

2) To

For example:

*

*

*

3) To

For example:

*

*

*

My View Of The

Team’s Strategies

The following pages invite you to describe what you believe

should be the team’s three key strategies for working towards

achieving the goals.

I believe the team’s top three strategies

for achieving the goals should be:

1) To

For example:

*

*

*

The Team’s Strategies

2) To

For example:

*

*

*

3) To

For example:

*

*

*

My View Of The

Team’s Challenges

The following pages invite you to describe what you believe are

the team’s top three challenges and the specific things it can do

to tackle these challenges successfully.

I believe the team’s top three challenges are:

1)

The specific things we can do to

tackle this challenge successfully are:

*

*

*

The Team’s Challenges

2)

The specific things we can do to

tackle this challenge successfully are:

*

*

*

3)

The specific things we can do to

tackle this challenge successfully are:

*

*

*

My Strengths

This exercise invites you to describe your strengths. It invites you to

do the following things. Try to be as honest as possible when doing

the exercise.

* Describe the deeply satisfying activities in which you deliver As.

These may be particular kinds of projects, tasks or other activities.

Try to give concrete examples.

* Describe the activities in which you deliver Bs and Cs.

The B activities are probably those that you can do reasonably well.

They are not your As, however, or maybe they were once but now

you get bored doing them.

The C activities are those in which you have little aptitude or desire

to learn.

Introduction

As. The deeply satisfying activities, projects or other tasks in

which I deliver – or have the potential to deliver - As are:

1)

For example:

*

*

*

My A Strengths

2)

For example:

*

*

*

3)

For example:

*

*

*

Bs. The activities in which I deliver Bs are:

1)

For example:

*

2)

For example:

*

My Bs

Cs. The activities in which I deliver Cs are:

1)

For example:

*

2)

For example:

*

My Cs

My Best

Contribution

The following pages invite you to describe your potential best

contribution.

Start by bearing in mind the team’s goals. Try to link your strengths

and best contribution to achieving these goals.

If possible, also outline the potential pluses and minuses of making

this contribution.

Again, we cannot guarantee that it will be possible for you to do all

these things. But it would be useful to know what you believe would

be your best contribution.

Introduction

Bearing in the team’s goals and my strengths,

I believe my best contribution to the team

– together with specific examples - would be:

1) To

For example:

*

*

*

My Best Contribution

2) To

For example:

*

*

*

3) To

For example:

*

*

*

Pluses. The pluses of making this contribution –

for the team, customers and myself – would be:

*

*

*

Minuses. The potential minuses –

or other implications – would be:

*

*

The Pluses and Minuses

The specific things I could do to build on the

pluses and minimise the minuses would be:

*

*

*

Other Topics

The following page provides space for any other topics you would

like to discuss at our meeting.

The other topics I would like to explore are:

*

*

*