You just got offered a new manager position at your dream organization. You walk in and realize that EVERYONE in the office is somehow related. The CEO’s daughter is the VP of Sales, the COO’s son runs the warehouse department, and the Sales Manager is married to the Credit Manager. Whoa. #whatdidijustwalkinto #HRnightmare

Although some “old boys’ club” organizations will have familial ties throughout the company, it is generally bad for HR business to have an entire company of relatives, friends, ex-spouses and sorority sisters in the mix. Just because you aren’t their friend or husband doesn’t mean they won’t expect similar treatment from you, because after all, you are the newcomer to this dysfunctional scenario.

The best thing to do when entering into this situation is to conduct an authentic evaluation of the employee’s skill set and start training for those pieces that are missing. From there, set up a performance monitoring system and conduct reviews every 30, 60, or 90 days to start off fresh and get a clear picture of the team you have adopted. Making moves to show that you are interested in changing things for the better, but not upsetting or getting rid of the entire department, will go a long way to building relationships with your new team.

Another possible scenario is resistance altogether to a new leader. In this case, you should definitely start by reaching out to the most charismatic, outspoken, strong personalities on your team and partner up with them to bring change and innovation to the department. By making changes with these individuals, you will most likely see a contagious tide of change and acceptance to new ideas throughout your department. Making the right connections from the onset is crucial to your success as the new leader on the block. Good luck!