👥 First team meeting

Entering a new leadership role brings with it a unique set of challenges and opportunities, especially when it comes to making a positive first impression. Your initial interactions with your team, direct reports, and stakeholders are pivotal in establishing trust, respect, and effective communication. This article guides you through the process of organizing and holding your first team meeting.

Goal

Your primary objectives during the first team meeting should be:

• Establishing your presence as a leader.
• Building trust among team members.
• Setting up efficient communication channels.

In subsequent one-on-one meetings, focus on aligning responsibilities, goals, expectations, showcasing your empathy, understanding individual communication preferences, and fostering a culture of feedback.

Action Steps

• Establishing Your Leadership Presence: Schedule the first team meeting at a convenient time for most attendees. Prepare a brief yet engaging presentation to introduce yourself – your background, passions, and values. Sharing personal anecdotes, like a love for pizza or pets, can humanize you and make you more relatable. Begin and end your meeting with a genuine smile. Convey your enthusiasm about working with the team, as positivity is infectious.
• Building Trust and Setting Expectations: Clearly communicate your responsibilities and vision, which should align with the senior leadership’s expectations. Emphasize your openness to feedback and adaptability, acknowledging your initial lack of in-depth knowledge of the team’s processes or products. Avoid imposing immediate changes. First, understand the existing dynamics and perspectives.
• Establishing Communication Protocols: Inform your team about your working hours, preferred communication methods, and response time expectations. Transparency in these areas helps set clear boundaries and fosters mutual respect. For asynchronous communication tools like Slack, mark read messages as unread if you cannot respond immediately to avoid overlooking them later.
• Wrapping Up and Documentation: Conclude the meeting by summarizing key points and later share these notes for future reference. This practice ensures everyone is on the same page and allows team members to revisit the discussed topics.

Conclusion

Your first team meeting is a crucial step in your leadership journey. It sets the groundwork for trust, communication, and collaboration. By approaching this opportunity with clarity, empathy, and openness, you can build a strong, cohesive team ready to tackle challenges and achieve shared goals. Remember, leadership is not just about leading; it’s about listening, learning, and growing together.