Getting to Know Your New (or Old) Staff

Copyright © 2004 by Don Blohowiak
Don@LeadWell.com www.LeadWell.com

"When you take over a new department, how do you get up to speed with all your new staff?," a client recently asked.

The answer is a series of queries.

These suggested questions, intended for private, one-on-one conversations, are appropriate not only to the manager who's orienting herself to her new associates, but they are also quite useful to a long-entrenched manager.

Try asking the following questions—a few at a time—over time.

• What were your early hopes, aspirations, and anticipated high points that led you to this line of work?
  
  
• What first attracted you to this organization?
  
  
• Without being too humble, what strengths do you bring to this organization and its mission to "_______________" ?
  
  
• What keeps you here? What do you most value about your association with this organization?
  
  
• What accomplishments here are you most proud of?
  
  
• Please tell me a story about a peak experience you had working here: a time when you felt a sense of pride and personal achievement, when you were particularly glad about working in this field or for this organization. What makes it stand out as such a high point for you?
  
  
• Tell me about an event, decision, or project that illustrates the essence of this organization…
  
  
• In your own words, describe the department's vision for what's truly important here.
  
  
• Based on your experience and your understanding of the organization's mission, what is the most valuable work you should be spending your time on? To what extent are you in fact spending your time on this work? Why?
  
  
• Do you have a list of the department's top priorities? Do you have a list of priorities for your own work here? How do you see your individual priorities supporting those of the organization?
  
  
• What would you truly miss if for some reason you no longer worked here?
  
  
• If we were to abandon all our traditions and reinvent the work we do here—and how we do it—what would you want the new stuff to look like? Why?
  
  
• If you were put in charge of the department, what three decisions would you most want to make?

Anytime is a good time to both (re)familiarize yourself with your colleagues at a deeper, more meaningful level, and to get fresh insights about your corner of the organization.

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Don Blohowiak, a management consultant and popular conference speaker, is the author of several business books. The executive director of the Lead Well® Institute in Princeton, NJ, he may be reached at http://www.LeadWell.com/.

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Copyright © 2005, Don Blohowiak, Lead Well Institute

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