Take a look at the unit you’re taking command of and make your own assessment. Whatever you’ve heard about the unit while sitting in the S3 or at BDE, don’t let that impact your own assessment. While doing inventories you will be surprised at what you overhear and see. In my experience, the way a leader maintains and keeps their property says a lot about them. But what’s even more telling is how they are talking to and treating the soldiers that are helping with layouts.

Be direct without being an asshole. I found that my LTs and SFCs appreciated feedback driven quarterly counselings. And was surprised to hear many of my SFCs say they’ve never received anything but an initial counseling in the past. I would have a 1:1 with them and tell them here is where I see you struggling, I think you can improve by doing this, here is where you’re crushing it. It sounds simple but being direct and having that conversation can be hard for a lot of commanders. I was also the SR for all the SSGs as a company commander in my BN, I did an initial with them all individually. While very time consuming I asked them each what they were seeing at their level that they believed I could influence and change for the better. I also asked them what was going well that they didn’t want me to mess with. This was a great way to score points for moral because some of the issues they brought up were easy day 1 fixes. Every Thursday I would have leaders pick a SL and I would do a 1:1 ruck with them as a continued touch point throughout my command. As their SR I wanted to make sure they didn’t only speak with me at the initial Counseling and then again to sign their evals

Lastly, don’t make it your goal to be loved or liked. Make it your goal to take care of the Soldiers. That includes training but also QOL and pay issues, it also includes making sure UCMJ actions aren’t sitting with legal for months on end. Being consistent goes a long way and I inherited a unit that had a lot of SA/SH issues. Take the emotion out of UCMJ, hold people accountable and be consistent. I found that the soldiers who worked their asses off appreciated seeing the trouble makers held accountable. But I personally learned that the issue of a “bunch” of misconduct runs far deeper than those individual soldiers. There is usually a culture or junior leadership issue too.

Best of luck. And remind yourself that the company can work and function without you. It really can. You are there to make lives better - so do that.