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[postmodern]

OP, I am glad that you posted this because I am in a similar position. I have also made the mental comparison to high school, if it makes you feel any better. One thing I have done is found other people on campus who are in similar positions and opened up lines of communication with them. This includes other chairs, but also those who hold positions that straddle fences (faculty/ administration, for us). Still I remind myself that, unfortunately, I have to at least consider that anyone who is friendly to me may simply just want something from me.

You said that you've only been in the position for a month. So, the transition is still new for you and your colleagues and the atmosphere will probably settle somewhat in time. Also, the workload doesn't lessen, but you will figure out acceptable shortcuts that will make your obligations more bearable.

[ms_inspiration]

Well, Im not surprised at all. We are all in the same boat in one way or another.
I have a better problem yet to share with you.
I'm a Female Chair, 38 yrs old, in the Middle-East. My problem is we still suffer from Tribalism even in academe.
Can you believe it?
According to tribal systems, you ar always "out" even if you are as good as they are. What makes you "in" is just to belong to one of the influencing tribes.Yuk!
I very much feel I need to walk out of Chairing the department of English, but Hey I need an adminstrative experience on om my C.V. One day I will ceratinly need it when I go elsewhere.
Departments in the Middle-East have a high male percentage, so as a female, I'm really doing great just standing the challenge. Being relatively young, is really risky...I'm no man with a 'moustache' to indiacte my stereotyped manliness. I cant even be aggressive. Besides all this, I have a hyphenated identity belonging to two different countries... Originally from one country with a nationality of the country I work in.  There's no way I can empower my self other than with my education and wisdom.
Fighting the academe world is like fighting society at large; Ph.D. holders are even less tolerant of differences than anysocial group outside campus.

Being a Chair can always attract hostile women colleagues. Some females are just insecure. They tend to think when there's a female chair, that it's a problem, and they need to handle it themsleves, so they take it as a responsibilty to get her out or down.....ohh,..women!!!   
Despite all, I keep myself composed with a  smile, ..sometimes laughing and.. cheating myself...pretending it's all going right.
Do I have a choice?  No!
Actually, I'm starting to like the challenge and staring to feel happy about being different.
After all, I've had other battles,...and won ;)

 

[thundering_m]

Well, Im not surprised at all. We are all in the same boat in one way or another.
I have a better problem yet to share with you.
I'm a Female Chair, 38 yrs old, in the Middle-East. My problem is we still suffer from Tribalism even in academe.

What a great experience to prepare you for leadership in the faux tribal system of academia. Old power establishes territory, fends off bids for control, crafts alliances based on mutual interests... merit is a fiction to distract the naive from the political drama.