Positive Leadership: Building Trust as a New Leader

Too many new leaders believe they’re expected to know answers without input or guidance, but many of the best insights on how to fix a company lie with employees further down the org chart. 

Creating a trusting, honest dialogue with these key personnel should be every new leader’s top priority. Meet with as many individual contributors as you can, as soon as you can. Ask simple but effective open-ended questions: “If you were put into my role tomorrow, what are the first three things you’d do and why?” “What are the three biggest barriers to our success, and what are our three biggest opportunities?” Listen intently and take notes. 

Really great ideas can emerge from these meetings — along with some really mediocre ones — and your intent listening will show your employees that you respect their expertise.

For more, see: http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/12/the-best-way-for-new-leaders-to-build-trust/