Everyone is Unique

I am sure you are familiar with some new managers getting hired and wiping out the team they had for a new set of team members.  A new CEO comes on board, and before you know it, the whole c-suite is new faces and has new directives.  All your former co-workers are gone.  In a few cases, this might be necessary.  In all the others, was it?  What is this new manager missing out on with a clean sweep?

Does this new manager think it is easier to work with a like minded team?  Is there pressure from even higher management?  The people they get rid of “just don’t get it”, so they have to go?  It will be easier to hire “my” team.  Does this lead to a lack of ideas, lead to group think?  How much time is lost as the new members need to get caught up to speed with this new business and team?

As mentioned, it is the leader’s place to be uncomfortable not the employee’s or team member’s.  As leader, did you take the time to get to know the individuals, learn who they are, what experiences they have, and what knowledge they bring.  Did you lay out the goals and future vision to the existing team?  Are you certain they understood what you presented?

How do you know the people who you may have kept are on board with you?  Were they able to predict the clean sweep and adjust their behavior in hopes you keep them?  Are they afraid to lose their job, so they are willing to do whatever it takes to keep it?  Are they then going to give it their best for you, their new manger?  Can you ever trust them, or will they always lie or say what they think you want to hear?

Are these managers building a culture of fear?  Wiping out employees; will that lead to everyone watching their back?  Do these managers have it all figured out?  Do you?  All of these questions lead back to diversity.  Having a diverse team with different career and personal backgrounds leads to a stronger team.  They bring in different ways to see things, different problem solving skills, and different levels of patience and understanding.  All of this difference can be observed and learned from in order to build up and improve all the individuals of the team.

If you are struggling to grasp this concept or are having difficulty optimizing everyone’s differences, contact me today.  I will help you understand what is holding you up and help you break through.