• Current students
      • Student centre
        Enrol on a course/exam
        My enrolments
        Exam results
        Mock exams
        Learning Hub data privacy policy
      • Course information
        Students FAQs
        Student induction
        Course enrolment information
        F2f student events
        Key dates
        Book distribution
        Timetables
        FAE elective information
      • Exams
        CAP1 exam
        E-assessment information
        CAP2 exam
        FAE exam
        Access support/reasonable accommodation
        Extenuating circumstances
        Timetables for exams & interim assessments
        Interim assessments past papers & E-Assessment mock solutions
        Committee reports & sample papers
        Information and appeals scheme
        JIEB: NI Insolvency Qualification
      • CA Diary resources
        Mentors: Getting started on the CA Diary
        CA Diary for Flexible Route FAQs
      • Admission to membership
        Joining as a reciprocal member
        Admission to Membership Ceremonies
        Admissions FAQs
      • Support & services
        Recruitment to and transferring of training contracts
        CASSI
        Student supports and wellbeing
        Audit qualification
        Diversity and Inclusion Committee
    • Students

      View all the services available for students of the Institute

      Read More
  • Becoming a student
      • About Chartered Accountancy
        The Chartered difference
        What do Chartered Accountants do?
        5 reasons to become a Chartered Accountant
        Student benefits
        School Bootcamp
        Third Level Hub
        Study in Northern Ireland
        Events
        Blogs
        About our course
        Member testimonials 2022
        Become a Chartered Accountant podcast series
      • Entry routes
        College
        Working
        Accounting Technicians
        School leavers
        Member of another body
        International student
        Flexible Route
        Training Contract
      • Course description
        CAP1
        CAP2
        FAE
        Our education offering
      • Apply
        How to apply
        Exemptions guide
        Fees & payment options
        External students
      • Training vacancies
        Training vacancies search
        Training firms list
        Large training firms
        Milkround
        Recruitment to and transferring of training contract
        Interview preparation and advice
        The rewards on qualification
        Tailoring your CV for each application
        Securing a trainee Chartered Accountant role
      • Support & services
        Becoming a student FAQs
        Who to contact for employers
        Register for a school visit
    • Becoming a
      student

      Study with us

      Read More
  • Members
      • Members Hub
        My account
        Member subscriptions
        Newly admitted members
        Annual returns
        Application forms
        CPD/events
        Member services A-Z
        District societies
        Professional Standards
        Young Professionals
        Careers development
        Recruitment service
        Diversity and Inclusion Committee
      • Members in practice
        Going into practice
        Managing your practice FAQs
        Practice compliance FAQs
        Toolkits and resources
        Audit FAQs
        Other client services
        Practice Consulting services
        What's new
      • In business
        Networking and special interest groups
        Articles
      • Overseas members
        Home
        Key supports
        Tax for returning Irish members
        Networks and people
      • Public sector
        Public sector news
        Public sector presentations
      • Member benefits
        Member benefits
      • Support & services
        Letters of good standing form
        Member FAQs
        AML confidential disclosure form
        Institute Technical content
        TaxSource Total
        The Educational Requirements for the Audit Qualification
        Pocket diaries
        Thrive Hub
    • Members

      View member services

      Read More
  • Employers
      • Training organisations
        Authorise to train
        Training in business
        Manage my students
        Incentive Scheme
        Recruitment to and transferring of training contracts
        Securing and retaining the best talent
        Tips on writing a job specification
      • Training
        In-house training
        Training tickets
      • Recruitment services
        Hire a qualified Chartered Accountant
        Hire a trainee student
      • Non executive directors recruitment service
      • Support & services
        Hire members: log a job vacancy
        Firm/employers FAQs
        Training ticket FAQs
        Authorisations
        Hire a room
        Who to contact for employers
    • Employers

      Services to support your business

      Read More
☰
  • The Institute
☰
  • Home
  • Articles
  • Students
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Archive
  • Podcasts
  • Contact us
Search
View Cart 0 Item
  • Home/
  • Accountancy Ireland/
  • Articles/
  • Comment/
  • Latest News

Comment

The coach’s corner - April 2023

Apr 11, 2023
Julia Rowan answers your management, leadership and team development questions

I recently moved into the public sector and am leading a department of 45 staff led by seven long-serving managers. The department is well-structured, and the segregation of duties is well-documented. However, motivating the team of managers is proving difficult. The word ‘change’ is a no-go area. I’m finding one-to-one meetings work, but in group settings, there is very little interaction. 

A. There is a lot going on here, and I wonder if your team senses your frustration. It can be scary for a team when an ‘outsider’ comes in to lead them, so I would take a long-term view—going slowly, supporting your team, praising what is working, and building trust.  

Read between the lines. Your one-to-ones are working, but group settings are not. What feedback are you getting here?  

Use the one-to-ones to discuss what your managers want from the team meeting. Then design these very carefully. 

Try to meet in person. Start each meeting with a simple ‘check-in’ question, something that connects with the managers’ real world. This could be, ‘what do you want from today’s meeting?’, ‘what’s your biggest challenge at the moment?’, or ‘what’s your long-term focus?’. 

Perhaps you could give each manager five minutes to update colleagues on their work. You may find some common themes coming out of the one-to-ones that could be brought to the team meeting: problems that could be aired and shared or, even better, progress made.

It could be useful to suggest a strategy session looking at what is working well and how the team can build on this, as well as current challenges. Get curious about your team’s successes and what it has achieved. 

The team would need to get a clear sense that you notice what is working and are not just ‘ticking the box’ so that you can move on to the problem areas. 

All of your managers have good-sized teams and people managers always need support. Be explicit and intentional about this. Building trust with you will help them to explore and accept change. 

My new boss joined recently from another organisation. I applied for the promotion and did not get the role. I’m okay with that and I like my new boss. He is getting his feet under the table and beginning to make suggestions about what we should do. Often, he suggests things that we have tried before (and which didn’t work) or he overlooks important issues. I don’t know how to disagree or make suggestions without sounding negative, closed or jealous.

A. This is a great example of where the feedback we want to give (like “we tried that and it didn’t work”) could sound negative, but where your intention or concern is positive (i.e. to ensure that we don’t waste time).  

Be positive. Voice the concern. Share the feedback. For example, “I think revising our service offering is a great idea. I’m not sure whether you are aware that we tried that before and our clients pushed back. Would it be useful if I talked you through what happened?”.  

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

The latest news to your inbox

Useful links

  • Current students
  • Becoming a student
  • Knowledge centre
  • Shop
  • District societies

Get in touch

Dublin HQ

Chartered Accountants
House, 47-49 Pearse St,
Dublin 2, Ireland

TEL: +353 1 637 7200
Belfast HQ

The Linenhall
32-38 Linenhall Street, Belfast
Antrim BT2 8BG, United Kingdom.

TEL: +44 28 9043 5840

Connect with us

CAW Footer Logo-min
GAA Footer Logo-min
CARB Footer Logo-min
CCAB-I Footer Logo-min

© Copyright Chartered Accountants Ireland 2020. All Rights Reserved.

☰
  • Terms & conditions
  • Privacy statement
  • Event privacy notice
LOADING...

Please wait while the page loads.