Have you ever been promoted or hired into a role previously held by a much beloved former leader? Perhaps a person who had shaped the role, team, projects and processes to fit their unique style?
In this situation, what was your first instinct? To try to replicate and adopt their playbook? If so, how did that work out for you? Probably not too well, since it was THEIR playbook.
As a new leader, stepping into a new role and possibly someone’s former shoes, it is important to honor the past, and retain/maintain what works. This means taking the time to observe, ask questions, listen, and assess.
However, it is also imperative that you create your own thumbprint on the origination in the form of a thoughtful, clear, and direct playbook for your team. A playbook that reflects your style, your priorities, and your expectations. It is the only way for you to show up as an informed, trustworthy leader. Not someone “playing” at the role.
Let’s pull through the playbook metaphor a bit more, to emphasize the point. In sports, the playbook is created by the coach after researching and vetting best practices, what works and what doesn’t, and draws on their own experience as well as the experiences, skills, talents of the team and the coach. It is carefully constructed, communicated, learned and practiced. Every player is expected to learn, know, and live it. It eliminates confusion on their field of play, because roles and positions are crystal clear.
It’s the same for leaders in any environment. A documented playbook of best practices, roles, expectations, processes is your team’s operating system. It keeps the entire team on the same page and gives a foundation for discussion when something doesn’t go well or meet desired outcomes. There’s no sense of “winging it” or operating by feel.
Your playbook is a living, breathing tool for you as a leader, and for your team. It is your unique plan for your organization – not something borrowed, or force fit to meet someone else’s needs. And, when done well, your team will efficiently operate and execute with clarity. Much like a fantastic sports team, outsiders will simply observe an incredibly talented, well-oiled team.
