Take Charge.

An excerpt from Team Reconstruction

Weak leadership won’t work with groups that are splintered, floundering, confused, scared, angry, or dispirited. Team reconstruction calls for a management stance that inspires confidence. Change creates turmoil, and turmoil cries out for someone to take charge. Just as soldiers more readily close ranks behind a strong commander during combat, teams in transition need a leader who stands tough and has the courage of his or her convictions.

You’re asking for trouble if you’re tentative during times like these. If you must err, do so in the autocratic direction. Let there be no question regarding who’s running the show. Leave no doubt about who’s in control. Team reconstruction proceeds most successfully when it’s driven hard, when the person in charge takes charge and makes things happen that need to happen.

Your effectiveness depends heavily on your credibility among the employees, and you undermine that credibility when you wallow, waffle, or wimp out. People won’t rally behind a manager they can’t respect. But don’t confuse respect with popularity. Everyone in your group doesn’t have to like you. Forget about being popular for now, and focus on getting results. Do what needs to be done.

Better for you to be accused of bossiness than to leave a leadership vacuum. But team reconstruction efforts are crippled if you’re mean-spirited, arrogant, demeaning, or unfair in the way you deal with others. “Taking charge” doesn’t justify cockiness or cruelty in the way you handle employees.

You can be authoritative without being overbearing. You can remain in control without over-controlling. You can do the hard thing without being hard-boiled. Through it all you can show care, concern, and respect for others.

Taking charge doesn’t mean you have all the answers, either, so be a good listener. Solicit other people’s perspectives and opinions. That positions you to wield authority in an informed manner.

Your people need to have a voice, but you need to call the shots. Otherwise, you can expect anarchy. Management by committee won’t work in groups that have been destabilized and reconfigured. For one thing, it’s too slow a process, and you don’t have any time to spare. Also, consensus management depends heavily on group agreement—something you’ll find difficult to achieve, simply because people are protecting conflicting interests. There’s no way you can keep everybody happy because what pleases one person disappoints the next. Each individual has a personal agenda. You’ll find it impossible to reconcile them all or blend them smoothly. They’re incompatible. Set your hopes on achieving consensus in a setting like this? Only a dreamer would try.

There is, of course, an important difference between effectively taking charge and being a bully. Humility has a place here. And it helps if you’ll sell whenever you tell. Persuasiveness can only add to your effectiveness. Also, when you make mistakes (and you will), be quick to admit it. That’s a sign of strength. It builds your credibility when you candidly acknowledge errors and press on.

Take charge. And stay in charge. Team reconstruction bogs down when people stop believing in the boss.