The 5 Things I Learn to Avoid and Do Differently From My Collegue Trace
Jan 17, 2024
I want to introduce you to Trace, an internal promotion who struggled to connect with their team.
Trace interviewed for a VP role and was turned down because the other candidate was stronger in how they cultivated relationships — especially in a very diverse market.
However, there was an opportunity for Trace to come into the market via a lateral move, with the succession plan to promote them to a VP role in 12-18 months.
They were excited.
So it was no surprise that the things we praised them on in the interview were showing up within the first 90 days of being in the role.
Strong ability to Manage Execution
- In the HR lens, this means meetings and spreadsheets to maximize all productivity functions.
Strong ability to Drive for Results
- In the HR lens, this means to do whatever is necessary to get sh*t done (even if that means rolling up their own sleeves).
Strong ability to Think Strategically
- In the HR lens, know what risks to take operationally to have a direct impact on the ROI.
But in the interview, there were opportunities that surfaced as well. These were centered around EQ (Emotional Intelligence) and Building Healthy Relationships.
While Trace demonstrated significant capabilities, they struggled when it came to developing relationships with their team. This leader provided examples that they may lack the ability to read the room and to slow down enough to build a genuine connection with the team in order to help Drive Results.
So when we started getting complaint after complaint, we realized two things:
- What made Trace a great Director did not make them a great VP.
- You know the saying by Marshall Goldsmith: “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There”
- Trace made the critical but common mistake of not taking time to connect with their new team first.
What could Trace do differently? What did they need to stop doing?
T – Tone: Remember its importance
Avoid this: It’s not always what you say that matters, but how you say it. Avoid saying the first thing that comes to mind.
Do this: Before replying, ask for a minute to gather your thoughts. This will give you the time needed to make sure you gut check if this is the Right Place to say what I want to say, Right Person you want to say it to, and the Right Time to say it.
R- Revenue and focusing only on the bottom line
Avoid this: Don’t focus only on the numbers before you focus on getting to know the team.
Do this: Establish a way to do a regular connection check-in. For example, try ice breakers before a meeting starts, recognize teams for special anniversary or birthdays, etc.
A – Authentic leadership
Avoid this: Not sharing who you are and why you show up to work the way you do.
Do this: Create an ‘about me’ slide that captures the top five to eight things you want people to know about you. It’s your story, and your team needs to know you on a personal level, hear about your values and see how much you have in common. The only way to do this is to show up authentically as you.
C- Culture
Avoid this: Not establishing a team name that is tied to a mission and that is created by the team.
Do this: Schedule at minimum quarterly retreats with the team to allow this time to come together and define what the culture means for them. This also gives you a way to measure what’s working or not working to keep that culture alive.
E – Expectations: Keep them realistic
Avoid this: Making up your mind about the team, their problems and how to solve those problems.
Do this: Set up 1:1s with each of your direct reports and use the same script in each meeting. Use the first few minutes to connect personally and ask, “If you were me, what would you focus your attention on and why?”
This is something seen often with internal promotions: Where there is promise for success, there often is opportunity for development.
By focusing on our relationship skills, we can avoid the same traps into which Trace fell as a leader.
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