When you step into a new leadership role, how you engage your inherited team sets the tone for your entire tenure. You need to move thoughtfully, not impulsively. Here’s how to get started.
Lead with curiosity, not conclusions. Biases often influence early assessments, so avoid quick judgments when assessing your new team. Instead, ask questions, listen more than you speak, and look beyond first impressions to uncover both gaps and hidden strengths.
Conduct an objective talent assessment. Ground your evaluations in data. Review past performance, survey results, and stakeholder input. This structured approach reduces bias, builds credibility, and reinforces fairness—even if you ultimately have to make tough decisions.
Invest in trust. Whether or not you plan to make changes to your team, communicate your expectations and decision-making criteria. Offer honest feedback and meaningful opportunities for people to contribute. Short-term team members, when treated with respect, can become key allies.
Weigh preservation with transformation. Don’t confuse speed with strategy. Sudden shifts in direction can erode psychological safety, damage your reputation, and cost critical institutional knowledge. Change should honor the strengths that already exist.
Balance fresh perspective with continuity. Fresh eyes are valuable—but so is experience. Before letting anyone go, ask who can evolve, who’s quietly holding things together, and who could thrive given the right support. |
