You've had the phone call confirming that you've landed your dream job. You celebrate with friends and family and then the reality dawns: you're the new kid on the block. What should you do in the first few weeks as the new leader? It's a daunting prospect, so what steps can you take to establish your business credentials and credibility?

According to Joe Oatley, CEO of Hamworthy, “Credibility is established by what you do, not by what you say. It is your actions that will make a difference.”

But how do you decide which actions are the right ones? There are five areas that any new leader should consider when starting a new role: the organisation; your line manager; your team; your job; and yourself. Start with the last of these – if you don't get this right, you can forget the others.

The most important aspect of any leadership role is to be aware of what you stand for, what matters and where you draw the lines. This clarity about your own values will be the rock on which your leadership is founded.

The next step is to identify which of your strengths, skills and experiences are relevant in the new role. Remember, you haven't been promoted or appointed because of your ability in your old role, but because of your capability and potential for the new position. Identify what you need to change in your approach, attitude, working style and pattern to succeed in your new environment. Too often, people who are promoted carry on in the same way as before – with disastrous results.

The next task is to take over the reins of leadership. Again, Oatley is clear about what needs to be done here. “Two things are important: first, get an idea of what the top priority is from a business perspective; and second, determine who in the existing team will help you to get there, who needs improving and who needs to be jettisoned,” he says.

There is often a great temptation to sweep through like the proverbial new broom. Even if you've been brought in because change is needed, spend time getting to know everyone in the team. Listen, listen and listen again to their views. Get out into the organisation and assess the situation from different angles. Speak to your peers, the key stakeholders and the movers and shakers. Question, question and question again. To mix two appropriate metaphors: too many new brooms would sweep the baby out with the bathwater – before long, you'd have to reintroduce the key procedure (or re-hire the vital person) you got rid of.

Find out about your team members on a personal and business level and ask about the team's experience. What's their view of the current situation and what would they do to change it if they were in charge? Ask about their aspirations. What do they want to achieve and what's important to them? This allows you to make an accurate assessment of your team, not just one based on hearsay. Schedule individual interviews as well as team meetings to identify the real state of group dynamics. Set out your stall in terms of what is important to you, how you like to work and what objectives (personal and business) you have in mind. Take time out of the office to get to know your team members.

When it comes to the broader organisation, look for internal politics, the power brokers, the movers and shakers, the formal and informal lines of communication and the unwritten “we do things like this round here”. It's better to know these organisational foibles early on than to find out about them later. Ensure that you understand the organisational vision, strategy, goals, products, services, procedures, hierarchies and systems – and how they'll affect you and your team.

While you are mastering that and getting to know your team, as well as managing yourself and learning about your new role, don't forget your new line manager. What do they want from you? How do they like to work? What matters to them? How are they measured? This upwards leadership role is often overlooked, but it vital to your chances of success. You need to be clear about what they expect of you. If you've any doubts, ask for clarification and book regular meetings with them in the first few months. This means that you'll need to know their PA, so remember that they are often some of the most influential people in the organisation.

When you've assessed the situation, share your thoughts with the team. Involve them in any changes you intend to make and, where possible, introduce these changes sequentially. Change is emotional. Ensure that everyone is clear about the business objectives and why they are important. Everyone needs to know how their individual roles and responsibilities fit into the whole. At this time it is vital to get the right people on the bus in the right seats. The way you tackle difficult decisions will be the true test of your leadership ability. Your team, line manager and peers will be watching you.

There is a difference between coming into an organisation as a new leader and stepping up from inside. Neither is necessarily easier than the other. The newcomer has to learn about the organisation and the people, but someone who is promoted can be blinded by previous experience. They also have the challenge of redefining themselves and adapting to their new role in full view of people who know them well. Stepping up a level is not a question of business as usual. Relationships change and the decisions that were someone else's responsibility are now yours. These may also take you away from the team. If you inherit a PA, you need to spend time building a relationship with them. If they got on well with their previous boss, they may be feeling bereaved and anxious.

Whatever happens, don't lose sight of the values and principles by which you are going to operate. That consistency and authenticity is inspiring and, in addition to providing the bedrock of your leadership, it will attract loyalty, commitment and effort from your team. It will also set you up for the long term. Taking over the reins of leadership is not a 100m dash, it's a marathon.

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Simon Hollington is Executive Chairman of Values Based Leadership, a company that works with organisations in order to improve business performance. This article is contributed by CIMA (The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) and it first appeared in Financial Management, CIMA's monthly magazine for its members.