In the first place, remember that you should not immediately surround yourself with the people who helped you rise. There are many cases where it will be appropriate, but remember that if you are an incoming executive, you do not want to do anything that is going to seem too forceful or too sudden. You should always think twice about letting go off people who know how to do their jobs. Remember that when you want an orderly transition that you are going to need to think about whom your associates are going to be. Retaining key employees and making it known how valuable you find their expertise can be quite important. Remember that this can make things much simpler.
On the flipside of the coin is letting go off people who have been burdens on the system for too long. Remember that part of your job is going to be shifting people around, and this is where surrounding yourself with people that you can trust, no matter what their original backgrounds might be, they might be important. Remember that you should not simply surround yourself with people that you already know that you agree with. The issue is that when you have too much agreement, there is too much of a chance that things will not get done in a speedy enough fashion or in the best possible way. Take some time and really consider how you can move forward in a way that gives you the momentum and experience that you need.
Finally, don't go into a situation without thinking about it. There are far too many people who find that they are needed to do a lot more research before the ascended to the top of the ladder. There are so many different choices for you to consider that at the end of the day, you are going to be swamped. Make sure that you have the figures and the information that you need at the tips of your fingertips. This can be something that is of the utmost importance.
How are you going to do the transition that you need to do, and what are your options? Just keep these pieces of advice in mind, and you'll be fine.