New Week

It was a long weekend at Houghton. Fun, relaxing, but long, like a cool drink of water.

I got back to my internship this morning to find that politics was finally working. Before, I had seen transitions begin to go very wrong. People were snipping at each other, disliking the change in routine. But now everyone was crowded around a table, talking and laughing and joking. How does this come about?

First of all, gentle guidance goes a long way. It is one thing to storm in and say how much everything is going to change. In a way, this is necessary. The parameters must be clearly set. However, once the parameters are stated, the new executive director, Tom Yots, went to careful lengths to learn how everyone's job worked. He wanted to know how to set up tours, and write grants, and organize the office. He is a master at delegating and respectfully enhancing the skills of his workers.

Second of all, honesty is the only policy. If you don't like something, say so but say it gently. Don't pretend everything is ok, because people can sense when it is not. And they are afraid when they don't know, because the unknown thing is frightening.

Finally, unify everyone around a legitimate but surmountable challenge at the very beginning. A good example is the current Trico plant reuse plan, which involves a polite fight between the preservation board and the medical campus. This unifies the organization and creates a new sense of teamwork and identity within the new power structure.

This is how to lead a transition.