Set Expectations with Your “Hello” Meeting

The very definition of managing is getting the work done through the efforts of other people. When you first take up the reins of your new job, you may feel overwhelmed by the amount of work that has to be done, but remember a great deal of that work is done by others. Unless told otherwise, they will carry on doing their jobs as before.

So in the beginning, you need to concern yourself not so much about tasks and functions as to the people who report to you. You need to start building relationships with them all as soon as possible. Whether you have been promoted from within or hired from outside, it’s a good idea to meet with your people early in the game. If possible, call the meeting within an hour or two of the announcement of your appointment. Why? Because people will immediately begin to speculate about you, your style, your competence, your personality; it’s better for you to connect personally with them so that you can have some influence over how they respond to you.

What will you talk about at this all-important first meeting? Well, whatever it is the meeting won’t be long. Smile, be pleasant, show confidence and optimism, shake hands with people and ask their names. Tell them a bit about where you’ve come from, and that you are glad to be working with them. If you have heard positive things about the group, pass those along. Be upbeat, talking about how you expect the team to succeed and to be even more effective than in the past. Encourage people to bring their concerns and contributions to you, tell them that while you can’t promise to deal with everything at once, you will commit to keeping them informed. Tell them you look forward to connecting with each of them individually over the coming days — and then be sure you do that.

Use the term “we” more than “I”. This creates a feeling of inclusion, that you are all in this together. Too many “I” references, on the other hand suggest a controlling attitude, which naturally makes people nervous.

Of course, what you say is only the beginning. People are often concerned about management changes, and the true test comes when you actually act on your words, do what you say you’ll do. The initial meeting will set expectations of you and the future of the team, so be sure your actions are congruent with your words. That’s the beginning of trust.

If You Want a Thing Done Right…

No, you don’t have to do it yourself! New managers often fall into this trap, and it’s not a good thing.

When you’re just starting as a manager, it’s only natural to want to keep tight control over everything. You want to make sure everything is done well, and you’re not sure you can trust anyone else to do it. But doing everything yourself is bad on so many levels:

• People don’t like feeling they are not trusted, and resentment will build against you.
• People will be left doing only the routine, easy tasks, and the good ones will be bored out of their minds.
• You will be more stressed than you need to be, because you are doing other people’s jobs.
• People will never learn new skills, and you will never get the best out of them.

What’s the answer? Delegation. Delegation is a manager’s best friend, and you need to learn to do it well. In the next few posts I’ll be giving you some tips on specifically how to delegate in order to be more effective yourself and at the same time to empower your people. Stay tuned!

Welcome, New Manager!

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