Study Team Members

• Before you hit the office the first day, get to know your team members on paper. Review their resumes to learn about their education and work history. Cull any information you can from, for example, acquaintances at the company who have interacted with your direct reports. Start the job with as much intelligence as possible about who you will be managing and how well they do or don't work together.
  
  

Learn About Your Predecessor

• Finding out about the previous manager's work style, performance and rapport with the team can be invaluable. Knowing how he managed employees gives you insight into what your new team is accustomed to. It can also give you an idea of what types of management changes might spook them. Chances are, you will have learned a bit about the previous manager's performance during the interview process. Even so, network with acquaintances at the company to gain a better understanding of what kind of results he produced and how. You'll glean information about the previous manager's team rapport when you meet with your employees, but any advance scoop you can acquire will serve you well.
  
  

Meet with the Team

• According to Three Star Leadership, talking to the team or department as a group should precede individual meetings. Your purpose in this one- to two-hour meeting is to be sure the group gets to know you. Cordiality is certainly in order, but what you want to convey is your work style and your expectations as a boss. Keep your remarks brief, the tone general. Talk about your work experience and what brought you to your new post. If the job you're taking is newly created, discuss why it was created. Have each member of the team introduce himself and take note of first names, so you can refer to employees by name as the meeting wears on.
  
  

Hold Individual Meetings

• Meet with each member individually. If your team is large, more than one day may be required. But getting to know your team members is critical to effective management. Individual staff get-to-know-yous can be as brief as 15 to 30 minutes. Your objective is to get a firm impression of the employee's personality and work style. For example, get an idea of whether the team member values results over relationships. Query employees as well about what is working for the team or department and what is not. Listen carefully, and you will gather valuable information about the team, the company and the all-important day-to-day dynamics of both.