CAREERS AND WORKING LIFE

The coach’s corner

Julia Rowan answers your management, leadership and team development questions

Q I am constantly on the go and feeling quite stressed. Up to now, I have had three people reporting to me. We know each other well and work effectively together. Following a restructure, and without any consultation, I have been “given” three new teams to manage. I now have six direct reports and a total team of around 30. It is a big adjustment and quite daunting. Can you help?

A. Moving from leading a small, familiar group to managing six direct reports and a wider team of 30 is a significant step change. It requires a shift into a more conscious and deliberate leadership role.

It’s also completely understandable that you feel stressed. There is a lot going on, and quite possibly a fair bit of resentment in the system.

You may resent the lack of consultation. Your original team may feel disappointed that you will no longer be as available to them—and your new teams may be unsettled by the sudden change in reporting lines.

Let’s think about how to make this transition work for everyone.

First, while you weren’t consulted about the restructure, there may still be a window to negotiate the support you need to succeed in this expanded role.

This is a good time to make a case for resources—a leadership development course, coaching, team facilitation or even just a social event to help the new group come together.

If you’re unsure about what would be most helpful, consider asking for a small budget now and decide later how to use it.

Next, it’s time to think seriously about how you show up as a leader. With three direct reports, you could afford to be hands-on. With six, many of whom manage others, you won’t have the bandwidth to be involved in everything.

The key shift for you now is from managing tasks to leading people. This means setting direction, creating clarity, building alignment and empowering others. This is more than just a workload issue; it’s an identity shift.

It’s normal for this to feel unfamiliar or even uncomfortable at first, so don’t hesitate to seek advice or support from trusted colleagues or a mentor.

Also, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that this is ‘the old team plus a few extras.’ This is a new team. You will need to bond them intentionally, build trust and set shared expectations.

Have one-to-ones with each of your six direct reports, then bring them together and start discussing how you’ll work as a team. Invite their input on ways of working and how they can support each other.

If possible, organise a full day offsite. Ask each sub-team to introduce themselves using a simple template: what they do, key priorities, challenges, goals and whatever else is most relevant. Build in generous time for questions and discussion, as well as long breaks to encourage informal connection.

Finally, take care of yourself. Your stress is a signal, not just a problem to push through. This is a chance to reshape how you lead so you are not just coping, you are stepping into this next level of leadership with clarity and confidence.

Julia Rowan is Principal Consultant with Performance Matters Ltd, a leadership and team development consultancy. To send a question to Julia, email julia@performancematters.ie