I’m 29 and have recently started in a new job at an insurance company as, well, supervisor of about 23 people. With the exception of 1 or 2, all my new team members have been with the company for between 10-20 years and with the exception of a handful, they’re all older than 37; in addition, they’re all much more technically knowledgeable than I am, which is a bit intimidating.

At first, I thought they were a ‘well oiled machine’ having worked together for many years; however, there is some friction amongst the team (and as expected, a little towards me – although, I can understand why, particularly since a few of the team had applied for this position and were turned down). I know I shouldn’t feel daunted by all this, but it really does make me feel a little intimidated sometimes – especially since I’ve never really been in this scenario before (at my previous company, my team was 4 people.)

Budgets are tight, time is a rare commodity and some individuals think that team activities are beneath them. What can I, as the newbie, do to help foster a better sense of team within my unit – generally and on a daily basis, without really overwhelming them?  [Read more...]