You walk in on day one and the team is already a fully formed thing. They have inside jokes you don't get, a process you didn't design, and a read on you that started forming before you said a word. You didn't choose them. They didn't choose you. And every one of them is quietly deciding whether you are about to make their work life better or worse.

Here is the trap almost every new manager falls into. You try to prove you belong. You look at how the team operates, you spot the things you would do differently, and you start changing them fast to show value. That move feels like leadership. It usually reads as arrogance, and it costs you the one thing you cannot get back: the team's trust in your first few weeks.

In this episode, Ramona breaks down how to take over a team you didn't build and earn the right to lead it, instead of spending your first year digging out of a hole. You will learn:

Why inheriting a team is a completely different job from building one
The quick gut-check that tells you how fast you are actually allowed to move
How to run a listening tour that surfaces what is really going on
The direct way to handle the person who wanted your job
How to time your first real change so it builds trust instead of breaking it

Whether you were just promoted over your peers, hired in from outside, or handed a team in a reorg, this episode gives you the playbook for the first 90 days.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VGOvul9YI0I

Resources mentioned in this episode

Free New Manager Masterclass: archova.org/masterclass
The Confident & Competent New Manager (Ramona's book): archova.org/books
The Leadership Accelerator (12-week program for new managers): archova.org/leadership-accelerator

Links

Schedule a Leadership Strategy Call with Ramona: https://calendly.com/ramonashaw/leadership-strategy-session
Grab the free New Manager Toolkit mentioned in the episode: archova.org/freetoolkits
Turn your 1-on-1 meetings into your most valuable meeting of the week. Learn more at: archova.org/1on1-course
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP

Other episodes you might like

Episode 298 – https://www.ramonashaw.com/new-managers-build-trust/
Episode 300 – https://www.ramonashaw.com/new-managers-roundtable/

* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.

Leading an Inherited Team: The First 90 Days (Ep 317)

The Manager Track

Leading an Inherited Team: The First 90 Days (Ep 317)