The Welcome Chat

When new employees would start working in my department, I would sit them down the first day and deliver a monologue. I’m not very fond of one-sided conversations (nice oxymoron) but setting expectations is one of the most important things a manager can do. So pull up a chair and welcome to your new gig.

I hope you’re having a good day so far and that you’ve managed to get through the HR stuff.  If you have any questions, ask me and if I can’t answer them, I’ll find you someone who can.  In fact, that’s pretty much my job and is part of what I want to chat with you about.

My job is to help you do your job.  If that means you need guidance or advice, I’m here to give it.  If you need someone to get you a pencil, I’ll do it.  I expect a lot of you but in return you get to expect a lot of me.  Of course, you should also be aware that I’m NOT psychic, so you will have to speak up when you need something although I will try and anticipate those needs when I can.

You are an incredibly rare commodity – a fresh set of eyes.  You are going to see everything differently from those of us who’ve been here awhile and if something we’re doing or the way we’re doing it doesn’t make sense to you, please do all of us a huge favor and ask why we’re doing it that way.  Hopefully whomever you ask can answer.  If the answer you ever get is “because we’ve always done it that way” I expect you to RUN, not walk, in here and tell me.

Finally, you’re going to make mistakes and that’s not only OK but expected.  You weren’t hired because you’re perfect but because we think you have the potential to be great and there will be some bumps along the way.  When, not if, you make a mistake, don’t be afraid to admit it.  All I ask is that when you tell me or your supervisor about the error that you also tell us what you learned and how you will be preventing it from happening in the future.

You’ve not going to get fired over an honest error unless you keep making the same one over and over.  In fact, pretty much the only thing that will get you fired is lying.  If you have a drug or alcohol or gambling problem, the company has resources in place to help you and you’re not going to get fired over those issues unless you don’t get help.  However, if you lie about mistakes you’ve made or the reasons you’ve made them, you’re gone.  I can’t do my job without information that I believe to be true.  When you start compromising that information and my ability to my job, I can’t have you around because it affects me, this department, and the company as a whole.

So that’s all I have.  Is any of that rant unclear to you?  Do you have issues with anything I’ve said?  I know you have a million questions and hopefully we’re going to be working together for a long time so I can answer them all.

What do you say to your new hires?  How do you set expectations?