New position - new questions

From your post I predict that you will find a large amount of discrimination and antagonism from the 3 sys admins directed at you. I say this not because I think it will exist, but because you believe it will exist and will look for it.

The same thing occurs on this forum - certain individuals look for prejudice based on nationality and generally find it. There would be less if most of us weren't looking for it everywhere.

I suggest you read "Women are from Venus, Men are from Mars" to get a better understanding of the gender differences and a better chance of not seeing every typical male response as based in bias against you.

You also need a clear set of objectives from your boss. Without them, the first time leader tends to focus too much on how they are perceived and not enough on how their team functions. Most of the time, the best team leaders serve as buffers between their team members doing their jobs and senior management getting in their way. Your function should beto enable your team to do their best with as little interference as necessary.

Best of luck.

I will agree that IT has "traditionally" been a male domain, but that is changing (although somewhat slowly in some areas). You will be handicaping your ability to be successful if you walk onto the job obsessed about what your subordinates will think about you.

Upper management appears to have faith in your abilities. If any of your new subordinates does have an attitude about females, you need to use the one weapon in your arsenal that can't be refuted, and that is the successful use of your abilities. Once you can prove that you are just as capable (or more capable) than the males, attitudes tend to change (or at least get pushed aside for the time being).

As Oldefar mentioned, make sure you receive a clear set of goals from your boss. Then formulate a clear set of goals of your own to pass to your subordinates. This is not to say that you should jump in and start making changes on your first day on the job. One of the marks of a "good" manager (or leader) is to be ableto walk into a new situation and make a quick assessment before doing anything. How are the team dynamics working? Is this a "renegade" group, doing their own thing with no leadership? Since this is a new position, obviously upper management feltit was necessary. Try to find out why, either from your boss, or through your own observations. Make any changes because they NEED to be made to make (or keep) this group successful.

Concentrate on your responsibilities and the responsibilitiesof your group, not on any preconcieved notions your subordinates may have about you.

Good luck with your new job.

Personally, I don?t think you have much to worry about. Maybe you won?t be ?one of the guys? right off but just stick to doing your job well. This type of thing happens to everyone, not just between men and women. I know from being a man that I am not always accepted as ?one of the guys? right off. I?m just ?The New Guy?. I just remind myself that I?m not there to make friends; I am there to do a job and give at least my 110 percent every day. After some time I almost never have a problem fitting in.

You can only concentrate on one person at a time. If you?re worried about what they are doing/thinking you?re not concentrating on what you?re doing. And you can only control what you do.

It may not be easy at first but if you?re confident in your ability and you do your best everything will work out.

Good luck with your new position!