By Dave Bushy, PCC
We’ve all been the “new kid on the block.” It happens with moves, school, military service, companies and organizations.
In coaching, we often talk with clients about such transitions and the myriad components of deciding the when and how of making a personal or professional change.
And we also delve deeply into inquiry when a client is working to select new team members, helping them tease out what they are looking for and how to find just the right person. When they find that person and the job offer is accepted, you can almost palpably feel the sense of relief as they talk about how the new talent will round out the capabilities of the team and produce real synergies.
What a combination of satisfaction and joy for any leader. It’s a time for celebration to be sure.
And it is also a time for important next steps. That’s when I invariably ask: “So how are you going to introduce this person into the organization?”
My inquiry is based on personal experience with “onboardings.” I served in the Army and in four different companies in my career and I’ve worked with dozens of clients who have either joined new organizations or hired team members. I always try to remember the old saying that my grandmother taught me years ago: “Well begun is half done.”
When I headed to Germany as a young second lieutenant, I stepped off a C-141 transport. There to greet me was a first lieutenant “sponsor” from my battalion. He was by my side for days, showing me where I would live and work and introducing me to everyone with whom I would serve. I went quickly from a level of discomfort to a working knowledge of our men, our facilities and our training plans. When we left a week later for a 30-day training exercise, I actually felt ready, all because of my sponsor. His was a personal approach of caring and knowledge, liberally spiced with humor.
The same held true 30 years later at my last company. On my first day, I was greeted by a company-wide meeting of managers, time for mingling and getting to know each other. The VP of HR escorted me for three days straight, introducing me by name to every person we met. She arranged introductory one-on-one meetings, personally briefed me on employee benefits, and offered assistance in moving. She even had my new office painted!
I felt welcomed, comfortable and ready to take on a new role as a COO.
Such transitions, for me, helped to build cohesiveness and a bond with others in a new company.
But with a different leadership approach or philosophy, things can turn “goofy” and inadvertently end up not so positive.
For instance, I joined a company some years ago as a vice president. I was looking forward to my initial meetings in person as a new employee. I arrived at headquarters early one Monday morning and enthusiastically headed to the office of my new manager, a senior VP.
As I entered the floor where he worked, I recognized my boss walking towards me, but he had a suitcase in hand. “Welcome aboard Dave, I’m headed to a meeting in Washington. I’ll be back on Thursday. In the meantime, make yourself at home.” Then he walked to the elevator without waving goodbye.
I barely knew where I would literally work, let alone the fact that I needed his direction on setting up a whole new department. Needless to say, I struggled to gain my footing after such a rocky start.
I don’t think my boss had bad intentions. He had been pleased when he found me and no doubt felt relief that he now had help. It seems, though, that he did not consider “How are you going to introduce Dave to the company?” Had he set up introductory meetings for me, escorted me for a day or two and chose to cancel or delay his Washington meeting, we could have kick-started a strong professional relationship. Instead, it ended up taking far longer for me to acclimate than I wish it had.
The next time you bring someone new to your team or organization, I encourage you to remember that hiring that person is just the start.
And if you ask yourself how you plan to introduce them to the team and do it right, well begun will be half done for you as well.
Dave Bushy of Boston Executive Coaches – bostonexecutivecoaches.com – is a an ICF-certified coach who was trained at the Gestalt International Study Center (GISC). Dave is a former U.S.Army officer and senior airline executive who works with leaders throughout the world.
Image by kim_hester from Pixabay