In our last post we pointed out the mindset behind the fact that this group of new hires receives little attention. Today we look at why applying a targeted approach for onboarding managers with people responsibility deserves second thoughts.
For companies the question is: What is to be gained by making leadership onboarding a case❓ Or put the other way round: what are the risks you run, if you don’t❓
Leaders need to onboard into the management as well as the team.
For the integration into the management team it is essential
to be introduced to their written as well as unwritten laws, their way of functioning with one another and the functioning within and beyond the organizational chart.
to get to know and exchange about the company’s leadership principles and the leadership culture.
since leaders are in most cases taken on with a clear strategic or operational objective to also take this on board – especially if those goals are new or contested within the company.
and last but not least to fill in the newcomer into the history and the context of the position she or he is taking on. No new hire comes into a neutral situation – being introduced into the history and the broader context might make the difference between a successful onboarding or a way that is paved with stumbling stones.
Team onboarding
What is crucial here is the relationship building between the new manager and the team. It means finding a common footing for the future interaction like for instance synchronizing mutual expectations concerning leadership.
Here it is equally important to be aware of and address the history and context. The transition from one leader to the next can be a challenging one. Every new leader arriving in a team will not be the first leader for the team! There will be a lot of “leadership-experience” on their side. Getting to know these will be helpful knowledge on the way to establishing cooperation. And that goes both ways.
Team onboarding needs a clear frame with regular communication loops to address and reflect experiences during mutual adaptation especially of critical episodes. Here Human Resources colleagues can play a vital part in providing a structure or even a helpful “blueprint” to assist this phase.
It is a PROCESS of regular reflection and exchange. It is an act of mutual listening, learning. Onboarding to the greatest part takes place in daily business.
It is a process of INTERACTION and MUTUAL adaptation.
Onboarding leaders needs a targeted approach. It needs to go two parallel paths, one as important as the other. It needs investing time and it needs a structured approach. Investing time at the right moment means saving time and resources. The right onboarding saves visible and hidden costs which arise from misunderstandings, irritation, and malfunctioning.
This is part two of a series of three – watch our for part 3 ❗️
