Does the thought of your first day at a new job as manager make you break out into a cold sweat? If that’s the case, then know you are not alone in that feeling AT ALL. 

I’ve been there too! Googling where the building is ahead of time (even though I already know) so that I don’t look like the new kid on the block….even though I am.

Anyways, wanna know my winning, no fail, tried and true secret to a successful first day?

I learn people’s names. 

And their job titles. 

And I ask them these things out of genuine interest.

I know you are probably thinking, REALLY? THESE are your tips for a stellar first day? 

Well, I have more tips that you can read about all in my New Manager Starter Kit. But yes, those are just some of my tips for you. 

I know this seems soooo mind-bogglingly simple! But I’m telling you – you would be surprised how many people do not take the time to get to know their new team with sincere enthusiasm and it really shows.

First impressions are everything after all.

In today’s video I’m sharing 6 tips for a successful first day. 

Let’s dive in!

 

Would you prefer to read rather than watch? Not to worry! You can read the blog post below about my 6 secrets to a successful first day as a brand new manager.

But first, to really help you stand out in your new role I highly recommend downloading the New Manager Starter Kit. A free downloadable interactive guide to help you show up and stand out and take the right action steps.

Congratulations on your new role! This is a big deal!

So now the question is, where do I go from here right?

Here are a few things you should definitely do on your first day as the first time manager taking over a new team:

Get in the right mind frame

“True leaders understand that leadership is not about them but about those they serve. It is not about exalting themselves but about lifting others up.” – Sheri L Dew

I wanted to put that quote there to get us started because the essence of what Sheri L Dew is saying truly applies to your first day. And if you approach your first day from these lenses then you are sure to have it be successful.

Instead of aiming to make a great impression, or show anyone why they chose you – aim to focus out-words. Put your energy and focus on the team, on the operation rather than on yourself.

You don’t have to worry about proving anything because naturally with your attitude and approach people will see how awesome you are!

And when you aim to take a servant like approach your good work will reflect back on you.

So go in there with the right mind frame it will help direct your day and is a good foundation for the other tips.

Listen more than you talk

It’s your first day and let’s be honest you don’t have a clue right? That’s okay – you’re not supposed to, so take this time to listen and learn.

Listen intently to what is being said as well as what’s not being said.

If people aren’t being too forthcoming – ask questions and listen.

Resist the urge to put your two cents in. It’s crucial that on the first day you are absorbing and learning as much as you can.

Learn people’s names and what they do

It’s simple but profound. But think about it for a second. Like truly put yourselves in your new teams shoes.

They have a brand new person leading them. They don’t know anything about you. All they know is you’re the new boss.

They are probably anxious if not more than you.

Put them at ease by learning and using their names when you talk with them. It’s the first step of building rapport with the team.

Be inquisitive about their roles and show genuine interest in what they do by asking questions.

Take notes

It’s no secret that you will be overwhelmed with information. And because of the overwhelming amount of information it’s quite possible that what you are learning will be forgotten.

So bring a notepad and scribble down the important stuff when you have a few minutes on your own.

Now word of caution – I think that the optics of walking around with a notebook on your first day, might appear a little daunting to people, so I wouldn’t necessarily suggest walking around with it.

But when you have a few minutes to yourself jot down what you are learning and don’t forget to circle or underline things that you want to dive deeper on or gain clarity on.

You can use the New Manager Starter Kit as an outline for the things you should be focused on. You can grab your copy here.

Try to take it all on without passing any judgement

You might come with a wealth of ideas, excitement and experience. And yeah, I believe that you are probably pretty awesome! But you don’t really know the landscape of this situation yet.

So talking about what you used to do at your old company or what you would do differently right off the bat is probably not the best way to go when you don’t actually know that for a fact yet.

Maybe your new team does things a certain way for a reason. Take the time to get to know that reason before making rash changes.

Smile

Now not in a disingenuous way. In a real way wear that smile on your face proudly.

It will calm you down and it will help you peers and team mates to know that you are engaged, care and are approachable.

A good manager works through their team, so it’s important that you take the time to truly make the team feel at ease from day one.