Every Friday, I'm answering one real question from a real leader. No theory. No fluff. Just the stuff you're actually dealing with.

If you've got a question you'd like me to tackle, just hit reply. I read every one.

Hi Priya, I've been exactly where you are.

Earlier in my career I took over a team that had been through it. The previous leader was inconsistent, played favorites, and said one thing in meetings but did another behind closed doors.

By the time I showed up, the team had learned that the safest thing was to say nothing and keep their heads down.

Here's what I did (and what I'd tell you to do).

Get them in a room and listen.

Not a rah-rah "new sheriff in town" speech. Not a vision deck. Just a conversation. I asked two questions:

What do you hope changes?

What do you hope stays the same?

Then I shut up.

That second question matters more than you think. It tells people you're not here to blow everything up. It tells them their experience has value. And it gives you insight into what's actually working that you might not see yet.

Make it safe to speak, and prove it.

Some people will test you early. They'll push back on something small just to see what happens. This is your moment. Don't get defensive. Don't explain why they're wrong. Thank them for saying it. Mean it.

What you do in those small moments teaches your team more about who you are than anything you say in an all-hands.

Keep the little promises.

This is where most new leaders mess up. They come in hot with big commitments. I'm going to fix the culture. I'm going to change everything.

Don't do that.

Make small, specific promises, and keep every single one. "I'll get back to you by Thursday." Do it by Wednesday. "I'll bring that up with leadership." Then follow up and tell them what happened, even if the answer was no.

Trust is built through consistency. Doing what you said you'd do, over and over, until people stop bracing for disappointment.

Be honest about what you don't know.

You don't have to have all the answers on day one. Saying "I'm still learning this team and I need your help" isn't weakness. It's an invitation. People who've been burned by a leader who pretended to know everything will respect the hell out of someone who's honest about what they don't.

Don't forget the world outside your team.

If the previous manager was bad, the damage probably isn't limited to your team. Other departments may have lost trust in your group too. Have those conversations. Ask peers what their experience has been. Acknowledge what happened without throwing anyone under the bus. Show them your team is under new leadership.

Be patient with yourself.

Trust that took months or years to destroy won't come back in a week. Some people will warm up fast. Others will watch you quietly for a long time before they believe it's real.

That's okay. Stay consistent. Stay honest. Stay transparent.

One small kept promise at a time.

Keep leading forward,
Justin