What to Do When You Inherit a Weak Link on Your Team

11-27-2024 11:11 AM By Jacqui
Digitally generated image of a chain with a weak link
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As a new leader, you may find yourself in a situation where you must rely on a less effective leader. Perhaps they were once successful but have been promoted beyond their competence, or there seemed to be no better option at the time. You may even have been promoted to a position above them in the hierarchy that they felt should have been theirs. 

Here’s some tips for handling this delicate situation.

Accept Reality
Stop hoping that this leader will improve significantly. They’re likely in the wrong role for their skill set. Instead, focus on maximizing their current capabilities and supplementing where necessary. To do this you might establish a User’s Manual with them.

Prevent further weakening
Tailor your strategies to the leader you have, not the one you wish you had. Stabilize their thinking and reactions to help them make better decisions or alert you when you need to step in. Investing time upfront in their decision-making process can prevent larger issues later. Emphasize the importance of maintaining their health and calm to avoid further degradation in performance.

Optimize their strengths
Direct the leader towards tasks that match their strengths. If they excel as an individual contributor rather than a leader, adjust their responsibilities accordingly. Frequently check in to ensure they are on track and make joint plans to manage their workload.

Adjust the role to suit the team
Identify and offload some of the leader’s responsibilities to other team members or delay certain projects. This helps alleviate the pressure points caused by their indecision or inability to execute tasks efficiently.

Be clear
Provide clear, specific, and concrete directions. Ensure these directions are understood and followed up with prompt feedback and guidance. If their responses are unclear, ask guiding questions until you achieve clarity. This reduces the margin for error and increases the likelihood of successful outcomes.

Get help
Recognize that you might not have the time or expertise to support this leader fully. Enlist the help of another executive, coach, or consultant who can provide the necessary guidance and development. Having additional support can help you direct this individual more effectively.

Maintain your focus
Despite these challenges, there can still be a valuable role for this leader if you can manage their current position effectively. Adjusting their duties, providing clear instructions, and supporting them with additional resources can help mitigate the issues they may cause while capitalizing on their strengths.

By implementing these strategies, you can manage a less effective leader more efficiently and maintain the progress and health of your organization.

Need some help leading your team and maximizing their productivity? Let’s talk.

Jacqui