Stuck in the middle. The tension be loyalty up and loyalty down
Where is your support and allegiance today?
The tension between loyalty to one's team and loyalty to the company and its leadership is real. Leaders sit in the middle having to explain things, defend the company and their team and attempt to please both sides. I don't have an easy button for this quandary but here is a vignette and some tips for you or your leaders to navigate this space.
Company X just gained 3 large clients. This expansion will result in more work for the subordinate teams to serve these new clients. The revenue from this will allow the company to hire 4 new people and implement an HR automated system giving employees more power to manage their benefits. While company leadership celebrates, your team may balk at this expansion as it will add more work to an already loaded schedule. Your team might argue, "Why not hire more people first, then get new clients?" "Our workload will increase but not the company's leaders!" "This is impossible!"
Consider this approach.
You to your team: "Your concerns are legitimate. I know this is going to be hard and I'll be right here with you in the trenches. Companies grow, they do not stand still so we should expect new clients. They also do not have the cash flow to bring on new people until they have assurance that revenue will increase. It often has to occur in that sequence. The leadership team has confidence in us to weather the storm while they bring in new people and use revenue to implement programs which will benefit all of us. Help is on the way. All this said, I'm going to approach the leadership team to confirm priorities, seek their assistance and patience as we carry the load. I'm going to invite them down to see all the hard work we are doing so they gain a deeper understanding of our efforts and challenges. There will be obstacles but please know I will be our champion as we navigate the tough days ahead. I need your help. I will be reaching out to each of you to seek your input on how we can overcome this challenge."
You to company leadership: "My team and I are happy to learn of our new clients. We will be ready to make their experience with our company the very best. As you all know this will require additional work for us as we hire and onboard new people to relieve the pressure and grow. We are developing some concepts to manage the increased workload and I'll follow up with our plan including some requests for resources. I'd like to invite each member of the leadership team to visit my team in the coming weeks. It would go a long way if you could see the work they do, share your vision for the company's future and bond with them."
Respond to this blog and tell me what leadership traits, values and approaches stick out to you.
Oh my there is so much more to this and I'm ready and willing to share how you can best operate in the middle of these two groups across several scenarios. Know your role in the 'middle.' Balance your loyalty and be vulnerable and transparent with your people and your company leadership. They will understand and empathize more than you think!
You know I'm never too busy for a referral. Send them my way and I'll take good care of them.
Make it Personal!
Rob
Rob Campbell