The Leader’s Pack For Meeting Individuals When Taking Over A Team

1. The Leader’s Pack For
Meeting Individuals
When Taking Over A Team

2. 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

3. 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.

4. The Team Member’s
Pre-Work Pack For
The One-To-One Session

5. 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

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. I believe the team’s top
three goals should be:
1) To
For example:
*
*
*
The Team’s Goals

11. 2) To
For example:
*
*
*

12. 3) To
For example:
*
*
*

13. 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.

14. I believe the team’s top three strategies
for achieving the goals should be:
1) To
For example:
*
*
*
The Team’s Strategies

15. 2) To
For example:
*
*
*

16. 3) To
For example:
*
*
*

17. 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.

18. 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

19. 2)
The specific things we can do to
tackle this challenge successfully are:
*
*
*

20. 3)
The specific things we can do to
tackle this challenge successfully are:
*
*
*

21. My Strengths

22. 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

23. 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

24. 2)
For example:
*
*
*

25. 3)
For example:
*
*
*

26. Bs. The activities in which I deliver Bs are:
1)
For example:
*
2)
For example:
*
My Bs

27. Cs. The activities in which I deliver Cs are:
1)
For example:
*
2)
For example:
*
My Cs

28. My Best
Contribution

29. 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

30. 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

31. 2) To
For example:
*
*
*

32. 3) To
For example:
*
*
*

33. 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

34. The specific things I could do to build on the
pluses and minimise the minuses would be:
*
*
*

35. Other Topics
The following page provides space for any other topics you would
like to discuss at our meeting.

36. The other topics I would
like to explore are:
*
*
*