Changes in leadership are common in today’s fast-paced work environment. For job seekers or leaders seeking growth, this can be a good thing because it opens opportunities for progression. But what if that promotion or dream job you’ve been eyeing turns out to be enemy territory? What if you step into the room on your first day as a newcomer, feeling like a sheep entering a room full of wolves?
That kinda feels daunting right? 
You might be whispering to yourself, “What have I gotten myself into?”
I hear this a lot from my clients during our leadership coaching sessions. Some tell me they want to quit, others begin questioning their abilities and slowly lose their confidence.
That’s perfectly normal. 
But there is definitely a way through all these so you can survive without being eaten alive (metaphorically, okay?) and even thrive in your new leadership position.
Respect what was already built
One of the benefits of being a newcomer or an outsider stepping into old territory is that you have a fresh perspective. You see gaps and opportunities that are easily missed by those who got used to how things were always done. You’re also probably eager to make your mark 
and leave a legacy.
Pause right there. 
Remember that you are stepping into a system, culture, and history that existed even before you arrived. Teams have existing practices that came from past challenges or realities you might not yet understand. There could also be unwritten rules of when the team goes out for lunch, who sits where in the board room, or how emails should be written.
What you can do: Listen before labeling what you’re seeing as outdated, ineffective or inefficient. Hold off criticism until you understand what’s there and why it exists. 
Ask with curiosity and acknowledge what they have accomplished before you stepped in as their leader.
Get to know the people, don’t force them to change
Our brains are wired to see the negative. You might be seeing them as a threat to your leadership and future career success, and your new team could also be seeing you as a threat to their comfortable life or maybe even their possible promotion. 
Leadership is about relationships. As John Maxwell said, “Leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand.”
Though it’s easier to complain and blame people for their lack of initiative, discipline or commitment, it is always best to get to know them first. 
What you can do: Schedule group and one-on-one meetings with your team. Learn about their individual strengths, motivations, frustrations and working styles. Identify the influential ones, with or without a title. Make an effort to understand the team’s history and past leadership experience. The bottomline? Make them feel seen and heard. Be an ally, not a threat. 
Build trust and credibility first
Sure, you might have gotten the role because you have a solid background, and a strong strategy and solution to bring the team to the next level. The bad news is that none of these will work until you earn your team’s trust and buy-in. To them, you’re just a newcomer (or maybe a former peer) who probably got lucky to land this position and are there to make things more complicated for them.
People don’t immediately resist change. Often, they resist uncertainty.
What you can do: Trust and credibility will follow after you’ve shown your respect for long-standing processes and systems, and more importantly the uniqueness of individuals and diversity of your team. Focus on small wins. Timing is crucial. You don’t need to move mountains on your first 30-days. Instead, build a strong foundation for future transformation.
Ready for your next leadership assignment?
A new leader’s instinct is often to prove themselves quickly. To fix, improve, change, and leave a mark. I once felt that way too.
I learned that though my title gave me authority, only trust gave me real influence.
Trust is rarely built by showing up as the smartest person in the room.
It is built by showing people that you are there to lead with them, not simply over them.
Sometimes the real challenge of leadership is not leading new territory. It is learning how to lead old territory with fresh eyes, humility, and respect.
No Special tools needed. You can start today, and do it consistently to make a difference. Coach Kurly de Guzman is a Career and Leadership Coach and one of a LinkedIn’s Top Voice based in the Philippines. She continuously seeks ways to help coaches, leaders and teams thrive through her newsletter, leadership and career development workshops as well as group and 1:1 coaching session for clients.
