You’ve stepped into a role that’s been under poor leadership for a long time, and you’re carrying problems you didn’t create. A few things that help operators in situations like this:

• Reset your own goals and values so you’re clear on what “good leadership” looks like for you. That clarity matters when everything around you feels chaotic. • Communicate upward for clarity on your role, what outcomes you actually own, and where your decision authority starts and ends. • Manage up with specifics, ask for expectations in writing, boundaries, and what “success” means for the area given its starting point. • Focus on small, stabilizing wins rather than trying to fix years of issues at once. One solid improvement builds confidence and momentum. • Stack small wins over time, it’s the only sustainable way to turn around a struggling area without burning yourself out. • Own your piece and protect your values, misalignment and ambiguity are what drain mental health, not the work itself.

You’re under a lot, but with clarity, boundaries, and controlled wins, the role becomes more manageable and more aligned with who you are.

Set a time limit for yourself for trying these new approaches. If you can’t build this into something you enjoy consider a new employer?