Coming together is a beginning. Staying together is progress Working together is success
Henry Ford
Every new successful team starts at a certain point. As a leader, trainer, or team captain, you are responsible for how this point is shaped. The first words, the first impression, and the first meeting should be carefully considered. While the first two days may not necessarily determine whether you will work successfully in the future, they do determine when you will start working successfully. This progression can apply to any type of productive community. It could be a project team, a sports team, a school class, a seminar group, a marriage, or your team with you as the superior. And it all starts with the first impression.
The first impression
The first seven seconds determine whether members of your new team find you likable or not. But how much influence do you actually have over this? When I took over my first branch, all employees had already heard something about me and formed their own first impression. Because before taking over the branch, I had a 2-month training period, and the employees had already informed themselves through colleagues and contacts. Nowadays, your employees will also find various information about you on the internet. Xing, Google, and Facebook make it possible. Is that a bad thing? It depends on how you handle it. The first impression is formed in the first 7 seconds of meeting someone. And therefore, you only have influence over your appearance. That's what your counterpart perceives. And then the 7 seconds are already over. Maybe there's still a "hello." So, pay attention to your appearance. Dress as neutrally as possible. You don't have to immediately show your true colors, for example, support for your soccer team, a religious affiliation, or your favorite band. While you are naturally in the spotlight, show your employees that it's not primarily about you personally, but that your employees are the focus. Dress appropriately for a leader, but not too far removed from your employees. If your employees wear sneakers, jeans, and a t-shirt at work, you shouldn't necessarily show up in a suit and tie. Sneakers, jeans, and a shirt are sufficient. Maybe add a casual jacket. But not everyone can be convinced by you. So, it's all about how you handle the first impression and the prejudices against you. So, gather all possible prejudices against you. When I took over my branch, I was by far the youngest employee. I had only completed my bachelor's degree 9 months earlier, so I was practically fresh out of college. I had never led a team disciplinarily before. I came from a different city. So, I didn't know the peculiarities of Mainz, etc...
Now you have 2 options:
1. You confirm all these prejudices if they are expressed to you. The prerequisite is that they are true. Because if they are true, you can't change them anyway. And then you turn prejudices into facts. 2. You proactively address your prejudices and turn them into facts. This way, you confidently show who you are and, most importantly, reduce your vulnerability. What can your employees then hold against you? Through these 2 maneuvers, you take away a certain basis for discussion from your employees. Your employees will not discuss these points with you, and they cannot later accuse you of them, for example, in important decisions. Because yes, they are right that you are young or come from a different industry. So what should be different after this realization? Exactly, nothing!
Here's a tip:
You can also mention arguments for yourself without explicitly stating them. Confused? Very good! Here's an example: Employee's accusation: "You have no experience as a manager in the fitness industry."
My response:
I could, of course, tell you now that I completed a two-year training as a business trainer alongside my studies and that hardly any club manager in this company was as well trained as I was at my age. Similarly, I could tell you that I worked as a team leader in various holiday clubs and took on leadership tasks in my training studio. But no, I don't want to tell you that. Because you are right, this is the first time that I am taking on such a task. This tactic can also be applied in sales, for example: Customer: "Why should I buy from you?" Answer: "I mean, I could tell you that our complaint rate is the lowest in the market. I could also tell you that we have had a satisfaction rate of over 90% for 6 months. But that doesn't matter because in the end, you must personally be convinced whether our product suits you.
The team clock
Every gathering of a new community is based on the principle of the team clock.
The orientation phase (forming):
Imagine moving in with your girlfriend. At first, everything seems very harmonious, and you are just getting to know each other. You observe your partner's habits and don't consciously think about your own actions yet. You move the TV, put your beer in the fridge at the top, or casually throw your dirty sports clothes in the laundry.
The conflict phase (storming):
After a few days or weeks, conflicts arise. One person doesn't take out the trash often enough. One person likes to leave their things in the bathroom and only tidies them up in the evening, which bothers the other. You always leave the standby button on the TV on. She wants it off. These can all be trivial triggers for conflicts. And a relationship can end in the "storming phase."
The rule phase (norming):
What follows as a conclusion? The sooner you establish rules for a community, the more effectively you will be able to act as a team. But be careful. It doesn't mean that you simply set rules that everyone has to follow. What would your motivation and acceptance be if you had to adhere to all the rules of your partner in your shared apartment? Exactly, very low. Therefore, you should develop rules together, establish them, and make them binding. And you should do this with your new team.
The quality phase (performing):
The shorter the "storming phase," the sooner you will enter the "performing phase." Here, you start creating results. And that is the purpose of a community. But be careful! New processes, new team members, or market conditions also require new rules. So be prepared to adjust them with your team.
The first kick-off meeting
To get to know each other, but also to clarify expectations and rules, you can and should use your first meeting together. This meeting should have top priority and set a clear direction for collaboration. On one hand, your employees should get to know you. This doesn't include your entire personal history but the most important milestones in your career, and they should get an impression of the values and leadership philosophy you stand for. Because employees want to be able to assess their superiors. Then they can make decisions and work independently. You should then get to know your employees in detail through individual conversations. Together with your team, establish clear rules for your work together. You should create a positive atmosphere of departure. Motivation is the keyword here. So, in the first hour of your collaboration, you give the first signals about the direction of your collaboration, and it is your first and most important chance to show your employees why they should be glad that you are now their superior and what added value you bring. And for that, you should prepare well.
Clarifying expectations:
Your new team will have specific expectations of you. Similarly, you should have expectations of your team and express them. In your first meeting, you have various options to do this.
My favorite:
Start a brainwalking process. Use 3 flip chart papers and hang them in three points of the room. 1. Flipchart: Expectations of the supervisor, 2. Expectations of the supervisor towards the employees, 3. Expectations of the colleagues. Each participant can grab a pen and move around the room. Whenever an employee passes by a flip chart, they can write something down. It's important that the participants keep moving. Take these expectations to heart because you will be measured against them. From the written expectations, you can then derive rules and responsibilities for working together. For example, your team wishes that you and their colleagues do not only communicate via email. You can develop direct rules for this communication channel. It could look something like this:
Email communication rules:
Only information is communicated via email For questions or conversations, pick up the phone If the information is not specifically intended for the person, they can be cc'd If a person is cc'd, I cannot assume that they will read or even respond to the email.
Responsible for email communication:
You can even designate a responsible person. So, if there are violations in email communication, this person can be the contact and report to you only in case of persistently incorrect behavior. Similarly, they can also train new employees on the topic. You can develop these rules and responsibilities for various areas:
- Punctuality
- Communication
- Sick
