Onboarding for Managers
Onboarding a manager is significantly more complex than onboarding a line employee, as a manager has a much larger number of social connections within the company and a higher level of responsibility. The results of onboarding often suffer in remote teams – you can't simply turn around in your chair and ask a question like you used to in the office. And you can't bump into a colleague at the coffee point for a chat when working remotely. This adds an extra layer of challenge to an already difficult process.
While the overall success of onboarding in remote teams depends on how well automation is set up and processes are organized, this article will focus on the specifics of onboarding managers.
So, you spend a long time searching for a new leader for a problematic (or not) area, interview them, they start, and it doesn’t work out. Then comes the replacement, conversations about how "new hires just don’t fit in here," suggestions to look among the current staff, etc. – sounds familiar, right?
Usually, these failures occur due to two extremes: a) The existing system is harshly broken, with the previous team blamed for all failures. b) Nothing changes, and the new manager tries to use soft power.
In both cases, this is a management and HR failure. The fact is, hiring a leader should consider both aspects: as is & to be. The new leader must fit not only the future vision but also be capable of leading their unit towards that vision.
Therefore, if a revolution is needed in the unit, the leader must be a revolutionary, and vice versa. Attempts to choose something in the middle will lead to average results or complete failure.
What to do (especially if your team is remote):
Clearly define expectations for the unit over different time horizons.
Create a vacancy profile based on the difference between the unit's current state and its desired future state.
Conduct interviews focusing on relevant experience and leadership style.
Provide the person with a complete picture of the situation, including a detailed analysis of the entire team. (If there are toxic employees in the team, it's best to address this before the new leader starts.)
Arrange for support from other leaders at the same level (this is super important, as new hires often face hazing from finance, legal, and other top managers).
Ensure the new hire has 1-on-1 meetings with their leader at least once a week.
Organize knowledge storage to be easily accessed in an asynchronous work mode. This point is crucial for remote teams.
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