My book Beyond the Superhero: Executive Leadership for the Rest of Us is designed to help business leaders who are assuming a new position. It makes a strong case for actively listening to your new teammates as a critical first step to take in your new role. Since publication, I’ve been asked to go further to address a specific challenge: exactly *how* to go about these initial getting-to-know-you conversations.
In this situation, it’s ideal to have a specific, repeatable conversational structure. You will be confronted with a sequence of interactions, often with conflicting facts and viewpoints. Here are the points I use to get clarity, in a way that’s fast, engaging, and fun during that first conversation with a new member of your team:
1) Give them time to prepare for the talk. It’s intimidating to talk to the new boss, and more so when the topics are unknown. Schedule things at least a few days in advance and share a complete agenda.
2) Avoid the temptation to jump right into business. At a minimum, ask questions to better understand the person and his/her motivations and values. Start with open-ended questions about family, pursuits outside of work, why they joined your organization, and why they have stayed. And share your own story.
3) Invite a detailed conversation about the current role with a “Stop – Start – Sustain” framework. Your teammate should come prepared to discuss the activities that they recommend:
- Stop – things that are counterproductive, prohibitively burdensome, or inefficient
- Start – ideas for improving the role and the company
- Sustain – the activities and investments that are working well as intended
The insights this generates are profound and gives you a straightforward way to compare and compile the feedback you receive across multiple conversations with different team members.
4) Address unspoken assumptions. Some teammates may be expecting enhanced compensation or promotions based on verbal statements made by your predecessor. A teammate may have even expected to get your job! As such, it’s a good idea to directly ask “what career conversations have you had before today that may not be captured in our records?”
5) Discourage gossip and personal attacks. Expect that some teammates will interpret time with the new leader as an ideal opportunity to denigrate other co-workers. Head this off at the pass with a ground rule: In that initial conversation, we won’t be talking about the effectiveness of anyone except for the employee’s direct reports.
6) Keep the door open. During that first meeting, schedule a follow-up talk a few weeks out. And make clear that you value an ongoing candid dialogue.
These first interactions with your new team are precious, and the whirlwind of conversation can be overwhelming. Through a little thoughtfulness and a consistent approach, you can strengthen your new relationships and gain great insights to help set the stage for success in your new role.