Your promotion to the head of a new team or department is thrilling and unnerving. The good news is that your boss believes you are the best candidate for the position and is willing to stake her reputation on it. Knowing you face a brand-new set of obstacles, such as establishing your leadership credibility in the eyes of your team members, is what gives you butterflies in your stomach. The likelihood of success will be significantly increased by putting excitement and worries aside and concentrating on certain fundamental principles.

Preparation

Review the demands and goals of your team with your manager. Ask:

1. How does this team fit into the overarching strategy and main objectives of the company?

2. How is the team's performance assessed, and what do the most recent measurements and assessments reveal about the team's performance?

3. Where are the group's strengths?

4. What are the supposed flaws?

5. What goals does your manager have for you in this new position?

6. What are the three most crucial things you can do in your first quarter to assist your manager's agenda?

7. How strong is the team's talent? What holes are there?

Interaction with Peers

Once the news of your promotion has been announced, conduct your research and ask your new colleagues for their opinions. Request their opinion on the effectiveness, qualities, and weaknesses of your team. Ask them to identify areas for improvement and strengths in the areas where the groups interact. Make thorough notes and look for chances to score quick victories. Having your peers on your side is crucial.

Making It Their Issue

Too frequently, when new managers enter a position, they create a negative first impression by waxing lyrical or nauseatingly self-important about their own backgrounds and accomplishments. Defeat the impulse to become the center of attention. After a brief introduction, pose questions to gain a deeper understanding of the culture of the team: 1. What accomplishments of this group do you particularly admire?

2. What significant achievements did you make in the past year?

3. What are the team's current objectives?

4. What are the pursuits that you'd like to make time for but haven't been able to?

Requesting Comments

It takes some guts to do this, but the feedback you get will reveal a lot about the requirements and circumstances of your team. What would you claim I accomplished throughout my tenure as this group's boss, you might ask? It's an excellent question that will direct your team's attention toward determining organizational and developmental needs. Without making judgments or comments, listen and take notes.

Providing input

Be sure to maintain your anonymity. These sessions provide excellent chances to interact with team members, get to know them, and discover their needs, interests, and ideas. They also give you and the group suggestions for how to work together to find needed modifications and early improvements.

Conclusion:

When you take over the management of a new team, there should be a lot of time for collaboration and connection building. Avoid claiming to be the "new sheriff in town" and instead ask questions to learn more about the available opportunities, talent, and operations. In order to succeed, you need the support of your team, and the best place to start is by involving every team member in the process. As your message gains context and credibility, you'll have plenty of time to make revisions. It's a good idea to observe and inquire without passing judgment at first.