Managing a team

[Tryingnottostress]

I’ve recently had a promotion to 1st line manager. I’m new to management and also to this line of work. I’m trying to learn what they do as well as learning how to lead this team. The majority of the team have been in the role a long time and want to be involved in everything. I was all for this but I'm soon realising there are so many differing opinions that it’s making it very difficult to make decisions. I feel I don’t have the knowledge yet to know what is best for the team IYSWIM

I've spent so much time listening to everyone’s concerns in the team that I’m looking into things which is taking up so much of my time and theirs and the day to day work is suffering. I feel like we are getting nowhere.

I made a decision recently and a few were unhappy so one of them approached requesting a team meeting to discuss my decision as they were unhappy they were not involved in a discussion first. This issue has been discussed for weeks. I’m trying to get things moving.

I'm happy to get them involved but there has to be a line somewhere and I’m really don’t know how best to approach this.

Any advise please?

Yes, there has to be a line. Team feedback is a good thing, but that doesn't mean they have to have a say in every decision - that isn't their role.

I think you should try to ring-fence feedback channels so they don't take over the day job. For example, have a monthly meeting focused on feedback; allow a slot in your regular one-to-ones for feedback, and direct colleagues to use those times if they keep approaching you at other times.

It isn't for your team to request whole team meetings to discuss your decisions. Try to get ahead of them by announcing any big decisions/changes in meetings, and allow a short 'question and answer' slot. If you have given the rationale for the decision and they still don't accept it, there is no point in wasting time in further meetings and discussions. You have to be firm "I've explained the business reason for this decision; I acknowledge you're unhappy, but it isn't going to change at the moment.'

I have managed teams and have historically made a lot of decisions actually in the weekly team meetings. I would provide the issues to resolve in the meeting and ask the team to make suggestions and then together we would agree on a way forward. It meant everyone was on board and felt they had had their say.

obviously not everything can be debated - policies and procedures need to reinforced and followed. Any suggestions to develop and improve policies and procedures are welcomed and explored.

The skill in managing us drawing upon everyone’s knowledge

I made a decision recently and a few were unhappy so one of them approached requesting a team meeting to discuss my decision as they were unhappy they were not involved in a discussion first. This issue has been discussed for weeks. I’m trying to get things moving.

Have that team meeting.

Tell them at the start that you have all been discussing this issue for weeks and you made a decision to get things moving. [Do not say you TRIED to do anything. Never say this].

Then in order to avoid this happening again you are going to do a SWOT analysis.

Stick up a post it note with Strengths, one with Weaknesses, one with Opportunities and one with Threats - one on each wall and dish out post it notes to all of them. Tell them to write it all down, anonymously and get it all out there. Clean slate.

Leave the room for half an hour if you can.

When you come back in, split them into 4 and collate the responses.

Then going with the most mentioned, go through them as a team to decide how to move forward on the top 3 or 4 of each. Decide actions there and then. If something cannot be decided, then they run the risk of you deciding in the meantime and on occasion, you may have to make decisions they may not like, but at least you've had their opinions to take into consideration. If the things are further down then they get delayed, delegated or decided by you later.

Sometimes this method can flag things you had no idea about. Sometimes it really can help the team gel together.

Sometimes these decisions are above us and we just have to get on with things. Sometimes they aren't. So let them engage with what they can, on the agreement that they will get on with things when they can't.

Sometimes they really don't care they just want a whinge, so putting the onus on them to put their grievances onto postits to be discussed can put a stop to this behaviour.