How do I build trust with a staff that's been burned by previous leadership?

Slowly, consistently, and through behavior rather than words. When a staff has been let down by previous leaders — promises broken, input ignored, changes reversed — they don't need a new leader's inspiring speech. They need evidence that this time is different, delivered through months of consistent, predictable action.

That means doing what you say you'll do, every time. It means being transparent about decisions and reasoning, especially when the decision is unpopular. It means being in classrooms regularly so teachers see that your feedback is grounded in firsthand knowledge, not secondhand reports. And it means not criticizing your predecessor, even when invited to — because that tells your staff how you'll eventually talk about them.

You may be paying a trust tax you didn't earn. That's frustrating, but it's reality. The only way to convert a trust tax into a trust dividend is through sustained, reliable behavior over time. There's no shortcut.