Leadership is essential in organizations because an organization cannot achieve its goals without appropriate leadership. When a leader is brought from an external source, he will take time before he is acquainted with the culture of the organization. To avoid this challenge, organizations opt to promote their junior employees after they are certain that they can deliver the desired results. Another challenge occurs when promotions are awarded. This is because there are many instances when appraisals are awarded to the least deserving individuals due to manipulation and other malpractices.
Before an officer is promoted to a higher rank he has a strong attachment with his colleagues, and the promotion can strengthen or weaken that bondage. When a team member is promoted to become the team leader, the team members expect him to be more effective because he knows the challenges that are encountered by team members. Adams and Smith (2010) argue that the new team leader should be accessible to avoid conflicts in achieving the team’s mission.
However, there should be a limit to overlook because too much association can bring more challenges. The leader must continue interacting directly with the team members because isolation will create a negative impression on junior members. The leader should refer to the experience earned during the previous years and correct the mistakes made by previous leadership (Marks & Sun, 2007).
The appointment of a team leader is likely to be criticized by employees who feel that they are the ideal candidates for that position. They may resort to criticizing the decisions that the new leader makes and expose the previous activities of the leader. The leader should remain composed and should not victimize his critics, but should instead work hard to prove them wrong. The best approach for dealing with this challenge is to involve the team members in decision-making processes.
Hess and Orthmann (2012) state that the team leader should be directly involved in the implementation of the decisions made. This means that the leader should be on the ground to oversee the implementation processes. This should be easy because of the leader’s previous orientation as a junior team member. The leader should evaluate the status of the organization and understand the previous. When problems arise within the team, the leader should develop different strategies for different problems. This is because each problem requires a unique solution that may not be appropriate for another problem.
Since the new leader is familiar with the other team members, he should strive to utilize the strengths of each member. Similarly, the leader should also consider giving the necessary support to help in dealing with their weaknesses. The leader should not use his new position to intimidate the other team members.
Moreover, intimidation can cause the team members to demand the removal of the leader, thus the leader should maintain the relationship that existed before his promotion. This is the surest way of guaranteeing a smooth transition period. Failure to do so will only make the entire team feel that they are only working to safeguard the interests of the leader which will eventually impact negatively on their performance. According to Watkins (2003), the intensity of support given to the team members should be dictated by the complexity of their situation and the experience they have in handling the issue at hand.
In conclusion, a transitional leader should use his position to strengthen the working relationship with the other members. The leader should not use a common approach while addressing problems but should employ customized solutions to increase the chances of success. The new position should not drive the leader from the team members because they need to communicate regularly.
References
Adams, T. & Smith, R. (2010).The non-profit leadership transition and development guide: proven paths for leaders and organizations. New Jersey, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Hess, K.M., & Orthmann, C.H. (2012). Management and supervision in law enforcement (6th ed.). Clifton Park, NY: Delmar/Cengage Learning.
Marks, D.E. & Sun, I. Y. (2007). The impact of 9/11 on organizational development among state and local law enforcement agencies. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 23(2), 153-173.
Watkins, M. (2003).The first 90 days: critical strategies for new leaders at all levels. Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing