As a new team leader, one of the fundamental ‘assets’ you will need to possess is the trust of your team. Here’s how you may accelerate this process:
1. Meet in person all key team-members and just listen to their view on the business. Make sure you really, really, actively listen.
2. Share your personal values and goals as well as the team goals as soon as possible. Be very concrete into how specifically team success will be measured.
3. Take team’s view on the above and amend team goals if required
4. Quickly find your way to practically show that you acknowledge and appreciate team’s current skills
5. Ensure that your first ‘quick wins’ are based on team’s current, unexploited strengths and skills . Make sure everybody learns this.
6. Identify the 1-2 areas where the team lacked help – support so far and provide it
7. Make sure you decisively resolve any attitude problem within the team as quickly as possible with great openness, transparency, and fairness to all humans involved.
8. Explain your rational in the decision making and link it to your values and team goals, while showing utmost human respect to any colleagues negatively affected by your decision .
