How Leaders Smoothly Integrate into a New Team – Onboarding Advice for New Employees (the New Kid)
The new kid arrives and immediately takes on a role in the pecking order. He or she is either a participating member of the group or the leader of the group. How is that role determined? Sometimes, as in organizational structures of any size, the role is determined before the new kid joins the group. But real leadership cannot be achieved by higher authority, it can only be earned.
All of us have been parts of teams whose leadership, while not official, is nonetheless real. The raw lieutenant with any brains at all knows that his success depends on having a good top sergeant. Sometimes that top sergeant is an assistant with exceptional social and administrative skills, sometimes it is a seasoned veteran with a deep understanding of the real way things get done. Whatever the case the new titular leader will gain respect and confidence from the team if that leader understands the internal dynamics of the team and utilizes them effectively.
On the other side of the coin is the team that is struggling, the one stuck in its ways, the one with talent but no cohesiveness or sense of pride. Or, perhaps, too much pride, which over time can degrade into arrogance; when it does its best characteristics are turned against itself and a sense of privilege and entitlement sets in. This kind of unit is toxic to the broader organization. The new kid on the block has a big job ahead of him or herself. This is the kind of situation for which the term “change management” is often used, except that the qualifier “change” seems redundant and unnecessary. What else does management manage but real or potential change?
Fortunately the new kid on the block has a legacy of solutions and approaches to the problems of organizational development. Indeed the richness of the heritage itself poses a problem – it is so vast and comprehensive it can be a daunting challenge. This is where a good coach can help, someone who has been around long enough to have lived many of the approaches and who has not only an intellectual appreciation of them but a visceral understanding as well. A good coach is one who understands that the casualties and the wounds of organizational battle are real.
Personal and organizational risk is not only impossible to avoid, it is undesirable to avoid. To lead, by definition, means to lead into new situations that entail risk. Some of that risk can be seen beforehand and anticipated. As it will always turn out, however, the anticipated risk will be as nothing compared to the risk that could not be foreseen. Managing that unknowable risk is where new leaders earn their reputations.
Alexander the Great was a brilliant young warrior general, the new kid on the block, but unless you are a history buff or scholar, you probably can’t name a battle Alexander won. You know Alexander best by the single stroke of his sword that cut the Gordian Knot. His innovative approach to problem solving survives far more vividly than anything else about him.
Tips for Successfully Onboarding the New Kid (Employee)
- ONBOARDING the “New Kid” ADVICE Tip #1 – PROCESS: The onboarding process should be an experience every new employee will appreciate, remember, and view as a positive experience. It is to the benefit of the employee and the corporation for HR to take time to come up with a detailed plan for each step on the onboarding process.
- ONBOARDING the “New Kid” ADVICE Tip #2 – MULTI-MEDIA INTRODUCTION: Nothing kills the interest or enthusiasm of a new employee than being handed huge stacks of paperwork and worksheets the first day of hire. Using video, in person talks, classroom lectures, written presentations and online learning can help improve employee retention and make the onboarding process more engaging for your new team members.
- ONBOARDING the “New Kid” ADVICE Tip #3 – FEEDBACK: You can never underestimate the value of employee feedback – even from a new employee on the first day. Even if your onboarding process is well structured, the opinion of the employee experiencing it is invaluable. Take time to gather and analysis feedback and continually improve the process.
- ONBOARDING the “New Kid” ADVICE Tip #4 – REALISTIC JOB DESCRIPTION: Job descriptions and responsibilities that are not defined realistically during the onboarding process are a recipe for disaster (i.e., unhappy or disappointed employees leads to high turnover). Make sure your new team member knows what they are signing on for, what to expect from the position, and what they need to do to be successful in their new position.
- ONBOARDING the “New Kid” ADVICE Tip #5 – PACE NEW EMPLOYEES: You should always consider new employee onboarding a marathon – not a sprint. Rushing new employees through the process can result in them missing out on valuable opportunities to bond as a new team member. You don’t want to force them to choose between mastering their job duties & accumulating to the corporate culture.
- ONBOARDING the “New Kid” ADVICE Tip #6 – CULTURE: Every company has its own culture with unique language and jargon. Dropping new employees into the conversation without teaching them the “lingo” sets them up for failure. Make sure your new employee is educated on the corporate buzzwords, lingo, and acronyms. It is equally important to fill new hires in on any inside jokes, traditions, and other important bits of your company’s culture.
- ONBOARDING the “New Kid” ADVICE Tip #7 – POSITIVE INTERACTION: The key to a new employee’s success is tied to their relationship & level of comfort with their immediate manager. Managers should be included in the onboarding process, and actively engaged in enabling the new employee’s success.
About RJ Winston Consulting: Reginald Winston, CEO and founder of RJ Winston Consulting, Inc. has 25+ years’ experience in Organizational Development with a focus on Executive Coaching & Training, Team Building, Group Facilitation, Conflict Management, and Professional Life Coaching. Before consulting, Mr. Winston held positions in numerous large organizations including Ameritech, SBC, Motorola, Advocate Health Care, Corning Consumer Products and the Federal Reserve. In addition, Mr. Winston’s service in the US Marine Corps and assignments with the United States Department of State gives him a unique insight in the challenges management teams & leaders face in the expanding global world market.
Mr. Winston has extensive experience in working with Hospital Administrators and Senior Medical staff (doctors, nurses and executive-level hospital administrators) in a wide variety of hospital settings and departments. His experience also extends to the public & private sector, as well as industrial, manufacturing and corporate environments where he has provided coaching services to C-Level Executives, Mid-Level Directors & Managers and teams. Mr. Winston holds a Master of Science Degree in Organization Development (MSOD) from Loyola University, in Chicago, Illinois.
If you decide to take advantage of the Executive Coaching process, what should you expect? The RJ Winston Consulting Executive Coaching is an 8-Step process that begins with an in depth, one-on-one consultation with you to assess if we are the “right” fit for you. If, after our consultation, it is determined that RJ Winston is not the best coach for you, we will refer you to another Executive Coach from our professional network.
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