Manchester United
fans must be wondering what next for their club, after the sudden
announcement that their long serving manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, will leave the
club at the end of this season, which is just ten days or so away. Talk has
shifted from his departure, to who will replace him. To be sure, the new
manager will struggle to fit into the big shoes of Ferguson. So, what happens when you find
yourself in a similar situation, in which you have been promoted to replace a
manager who delivered exceptional results, and was loved for his great skills,
as well as for his great persona?
1. Be your own
person.
It’s easy to be tempted and start copying what the former
manager did. Now, you will do well to remember that no two people are the same,
and the values, the skills, and their outlook of life will defer. Naturally,
you should expect some backlash from employees who loved the former manager,
and they will watch your
every deed, listen to your every word, in an attempt
to show you that you cannot match the former boss. It is your duty as a boss to
woo them over slowly. When Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore took over from Michael
Joseph, customers quickly complained, and were not sure that he could maintain
the same iconic status of Safaricom as Michael Joseph had done. However, he
moved out to carve his own niche, and created his own persona, and steered the
company to even greater heights.
2. Introduce changes
minimally.
As humans, we all fear change, but change unfortunately, is
the only constant in this life. As a
new boss, introduce the changes minimally, so that you do not disrupt the
operations of the company. Involve your immediate subordinates in the change,
and let them know what will need to happen in clear terms.
3. Reach Across the
Aisle.
Every office has its fair share of politics, and for sure,
their must have been forces that were hell bent on preventing you from
ascending to the top. Naturally, you will be tempted to identity the enemy camp
and punish them severely. However, this will only make the relations in the
office go downhill. Reach across the aisle, and assure your former enemies that
you will be willing to work with them, as long as they perform. Of course,
there will be those who will never be swayed to your side no matter what you
do, but when your work speaks for itself, they will be willing to work with
you, even if they don’t like you as a person.
In sum, some
companies handle succession of managers and bosses better than others. In
companies that are highly structured and formal, like the Nation Media Group
for example, the employees can engage with a new boss in a pretty much easier
way, since the systems are already in place. However, in companies where the
former boss accounted for much of the output, and where success or failure of
the company is hinged on one or two individuals, succession from one boss to
the next might prove a disaster. Think of the way that Starehe Boys
Center fell in academic
charts after the death of its founder, Geoffrey Griffins? Will the same befall
Manchester United? Only time will tell.
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