Leading a team
How to run your first meeting with a new team as a manager
In the first meeting, listen more than you talk: say briefly who you are and how you like to work, then ask what works and what gets in the way. Do not announce big changes before you know the people and their work. End with one concrete step, such as the date of your next conversation.
How to handle this conversation
Introduce yourself in three sentences
Who you are, where you come from and what to expect from you. For example: “For the next month I mostly want to listen and learn how you work.”
Ask open questions
“What works so well here that I must not break it?” and “What takes up most of your time for no good reason?” tell you more than asking whether everything is fine.
Do not promise in advance
When someone asks about raises or project changes, be honest: “I do not know that topic yet. I will come back to you with an answer by the end of the month.”
Name the distance instead of ignoring it
If they are cool with you, you can say: “I get that a new manager is one more unknown for the team. I would like to hear what worries you.”
My first conversation with a new team
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Duration
- 8-12 minutes
The situation
Since Monday you have been leading a team where you did not know anyone. The previous manager was well liked and left unexpectedly. You book your first one-to-one with the person who has been here longest and carries a lot of weight in the team. You want to get to know them and start building trust.
Who you talk to
Experienced team member
Polite but reserved. Answers in generalities, compares you to your predecessor and checks whether you arrive with a ready plan of changes the team will have to swallow.
The counterpart also has private goals and information that are never shown upfront. You discover them only through the conversation, the same way you would in real life.
What makes it hard
- They answer briefly and wait to see what you say.
- They compare you to the previous manager and ask what you plan to change.
- They ask for a promise on something you do not know yet.
Your goals
- Introduce yourself briefly and show how you intend to work together
- Find out what works in the team and what gets in the way
- End with one concrete agreement and no promises you cannot keep
What the report looks at
- The balance between talking and listening
- The quality of your open and follow-up questions
- How you respond to comparisons and distance
- Whether you avoid promises you cannot keep yet