Fitting a new leader into an existing team is always hard. Even when you promote from within, there are growing pains as the team adjusts to a new management style, new goals and new expectations. But how you deal with employee complaints about a new manager? And how do you support your new leader in their new position and how do you help them through the growing pains?

As with so many things in business, it’s all about the right kind of communication – with your new hire and with your team. Here are three tips:

Talk to Your Team

New management always makes people nervous, especially if the job had internal candidates. Talk to your team openly about why you hired the person you did, what they’ll bring to the team and how they can help your new hire get settled and be successful. After all, it’s always better when the ships can rise together.

Don’t Run to Your New Hire with Complaints

There are certain to be at least a few growing pains as the new leader gets settled, makes adjustments to the day-to-day, etc. When team members come to you with complaints, take them seriously, ask for specific examples and keep track of those issues. Most of the time, it’s just a matter of getting used to the new order, but you don’t want to lose good employees in the process. However, don’t immediately run to your new hire with the issues. Unless it’s an urgent situation or problem that needs corrected, taking the complaints directly to them will undermine their confidence in the new position. Wait until the dust has settled and then go back to those complaints to start a conversation with the new leader about things that could be improved.

Don’t Undermine Progress

As new management works out the kinks they see in your team and starts to implement their normal way of doing business, you have to learn to step back and let the pieces fall into place. In some cases, you may have been in that position or you’ve filled in while you hired someone new, so it can be especially hard to step away, but you have to create that separation. Be sure your subordinates subordinates understand that you hired the new leader because you trust their abilities and you’re ready for them to take the reins.

See additional tips on this topic from Growth Coach Ingar Grev in this article published in the Business Journal: https://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/how-to/human-resources/2017/06/how-to-field-employee-complaints-about-new.html.