We all do a lot of work in teams, which is why I consistently recommend Patrick Lencioni’s book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, to people.
A recent article in Harvard Business Review focuses on a special situation for leaders – inheriting a team. This has happened to many of us in our careers and it definitely requires careful navigation.
It is interesting that the Lencioni book is actually a story about a leader inheriting a team. The book is a fable about how the owner of a company wanted to turn things around and hired a woman he knew to be an expert in teamwork. So, if you are a leader inheriting a team, I double down on my recommendation to read this book!
As it turns out, the Lencioni book and the HBR article have one important suggestion in common: the importance of Building Trust.
When you inherit a team, you must be completely honest and treat everyone with respect. Communicate transparently about your vision and evaluation processes. Treating every team member with dignity, even those not part of your long-term plan, can turn them into advocates and preserve vital institutional knowledge.
Here are other suggestions for effectively leading your inherited team:
- Lead with Curiosity, Not Conclusions. Resist quick judgments. Instead, embrace curiosity. Ask questions, observe dynamics, and listen more than you speak. This open approach fosters trust, allowing team members to be vulnerable and engage in the healthy conflict necessary for growth.
- Conduct an Objective Talent Assessment. Combat bias by gathering comprehensive data: review performance, analyze surveys, and conduct stakeholder interviews. This evidence-based approach promotes fairness and clearly defines expectations, leading to greater accountability.
- Weigh Preservation with Transformation. Avoid reckless overhauls. Smart change honors existing strengths while addressing genuine gaps. By involving the team in the process and clearly explaining the “why” behind decisions, you gain commitment, even when full consensus isn’t feasible. This shared understanding reduces ambiguity and drives collective buy-in.
- Balance Fresh Perspective with Continuity. Your fresh perspective is an asset, but a reflexive need to replace existing leaders can signal insecurity and lead to losing valuable cultural continuity. Identify who has the will to evolve and who is genuinely upholding the culture. By prioritizing collective team results over individual status, you reinforce the ultimate goal and ensure everyone works towards shared success.
The mark of a great leader isn’t speed, but wisdom. When inheriting a team, you’re shaping culture. Lead with empathy, honesty, and respect. Balance urgency with patience, and consciously build a team free from dysfunctions, empowering them to achieve their full potential.
*Ideas for this blog taken from: Lyons, M. “5 Steps for Leading the Team You’ve Inherited,” Harvard Business Review online, June 17, 2025.
