Q: I’m a little nervous about my new job. Since these are seasoned professionals, they may resent having a young newcomer as their manager. I don’t want to give the impression that I’m trying to take over, but at the same time, I need to establish my authority so they won’t take advantage of me. How can I get off to a good start?

A: With an experienced staff, you need to find a happy medium between micromanaging and giving them free rein. To begin getting acquainted, hold a “transition meeting” with the staff and invite your manager to attend. He can describe your role, explain his reasons for adding a management layer, and acknowledge that this will require an adjustment. Next, schedule individual meetings to learn more about the directors and their jobs. Explain that at first you may want more frequent communication because you are adjusting to a different organization. This clarification is important, since your need for information might be misinterpreted as a desire to meddle.

-- Tribune News Service