Inheriting a team: asking the right questions

One of the challenges of leadership is stepping into a team you didn’t build yourself. You inherit people, dynamics, and often unspoken histories. The temptation can be to dive into performance reviews, set out expectations, or make quick changes.

Many years ago, I went to a talk by Baroness Sue Campbell MBE. She shared three simple but powerful questions that she asks whenever she takes on a new team:

• What do you do?

• What could you do?

• What stops us?

At first glance, they look almost too simple. But they open up conversations about strengths, potential, and barriers. They also signal curiosity rather than judgement.

Sue told a story about one woman in her team who seemed disengaged. When asked these questions, she revealed an idea for a new system she’d been thinking about. That idea went on to become a national system that is still in use today.

It’s a reminder that sometimes the best ideas and the deepest engagement come from simply asking the right questions.

So here’s my reflection: when you inherit a team, how do you get to grips with them? And perhaps more importantly, how do you give them the space to show you what they’re capable of?