The key facts

  • 64% of surveyed employees often disagree with the appointment of a leader from outside
  • For 62% of participants, the disagreement affects their work: initiative declines, communication worsens, and thoughts of quitting arise
  • Danilova advises explaining the reasons for the appointment before the new boss starts and talking to internal candidates

Mass reshuffles at the start can alienate the team

A new leader's attempt to immediately bring in their own team and carry out sweeping changes can alienate even initially loyal employees. This was stated by Darya Danilova, founder of Danilova Executive Search & Consulting, in an interview with Gazeta.Ru.

What the study showed

According to the company's research, 64% of surveyed employees often disagree with the appointment of a leader from outside. The main reasons are unclear motives behind the choice and the belief that there was a stronger candidate within the company. For 62% of participants, this disagreement affects their work: initiative declines, communication with management deteriorates, or thoughts of quitting arise.

The expert's recommendations

Danilova recommended explaining the reasons for the appointment even before the new boss starts — it is important for employees to understand what experience they will bring and what tasks they are meant to solve. 'It is necessary to understand how the processes actually work, who influences decision-making, and what internal contradictions and expectations exist,' the expert noted. She also advised talking to internal candidates who had applied for the position, otherwise strong specialists may perceive the external appointment as a sign that they have no prospects of their own.

Support from the owner and consistency

According to Danilova, support from the owner or CEO is no less important: if decisions continue to be made bypassing the appointed leader, it will be difficult to earn authority. 'There is no need to try to please everyone. For a top manager, it is far more important to be consistent, fair, and clear in their decisions,' she concluded. Earlier, as the outlet recalls, employers were urged not to draw conclusions based on search queries about dismissal.