The first weeks are for diagnosis, not redesign. Meet each direct report individually. Ask what is working, what is blocked, and what they wish their previous manager had done differently. Take notes; do not promise fixes on the spot.
German teams often value clarity of process. Publish a simple operating rhythm early: how you run one-to-ones, how decisions are escalated, and when you expect updates. Ambiguity here creates anxiety faster than a imperfect but explicit system.
Former peers may test boundaries. Address this once, calmly, and in private. State the new reporting relationship and invite collaboration on substance. Repeating the conversation publicly usually escalates it.
Protect one weekly block for your own thinking. New team leads drown in meetings and lose the strategic perspective that earned them the role. A protected two-hour block each week is not a luxury; it is part of the job.
By day 90, share a short written priorities note with your manager and your team. Three priorities are enough. This document becomes your reference when new requests arrive and when your own appraisal comes due.