What should the new Director do first?

A new Director has arrived to manage an HR department that became dysfunctional under the previous director.

What should the new Director do first?
A . Meet individually with all employees and clarify her expectations for their performance and interactions.
B . Assemble the entire department and describe the engagement levels that are required for a functional department.
C . Talk to members of the department separately to understand the needs of the department.
D . Detail internal customer service metrics and measures to be met by the teams.

Answer: C

Explanation:

The first step is often a needs analysis (what is needed?) while the most important step is often obtaining senior management’s approval. Since the HR director is new to the department, she needs to first learn about the employees’ needs individually, and as a group. She can then provide the type of leadership the group needs. It is important to begin with a needs assessment C what is and what should be, determine the gap between current realities, and desired results before proffering a solution.