What do you do if you inherited a problem?
After speaking at a conference, a leader approached me and said, “The reason I haven’t resolved a conflict in my department is that I inherited the problem.” “How long have you been leading this department?” I asked. “Twelve years was her reply.”
The act of courage: Whether you inherited a problem, or you’ve let a problem go on too long you can still course-correct if you have the courage to address the problem, set a new boundary and follow through with accountability.
What to know: You must understand the culture. Your new limits must be supported at the top. Once upper management agrees with your plan, initiate a group meeting to address the elephant in the room. View this as an opportunity to let go of blame and start a clean slate. Be crystal clear about the behaviors you expect in the future and what the consequences will be if the undesired behaviors continue.
If you’re struggling with a problem that’s been going on too long, reach out and let’s have an exploratory call to see if I can help.
Marlene Chism
