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I am taking over a new team and wanted to find out what other managers do during their first 90 days.
Please be as specific as possible, I am very interested to hear when and how you would progress.
I am using the manager-tools communication timeline as well as the guidance on rolling out the trinity. Additionally I will be meeting with all our major customers, leading 10 minute morning meetings, running informal afternoon check-ins.
I have also heard it tossed around that one may want to wait until week 3 to do a staff meeting and would love to hear the rationale behind that thought.
Specifically, the team consists of 4-6 financial sales reps and 2-3 external sales partners in different lines of business that do not report to me but partner with my sales people.
In the past I have...
Let me start by saying "There is a cast for that." It is titled The First Rule For New Managers - 3/28/08. (OK I feel like I just sounded like Marc and that is scary or good:) They lay it out much better than I ever could.
I would agree with you rolling out the trinity and I would suggest an organizational meeting to let them know about you and to introduce O3's before you introduce O3's - another MT's ism:) Otherwise, try to stick to their advice in my opinion. I normally try to just take in all the information that I can in those first 90 days and try to learn the internal processes and see their strengths and the culture in that office. I do ask questions but try not to seem critical as I ask...instead I try to seem like I have a genuine interest in how they accomplish their jobs.
Finally, and this is something I really struggle with, I try to smile as much as I can. I am not a naturally smiley person (look at my disc and you will know why:) So every time I am listening to someone I try to think "Smile" and then to help make it a good smile I push my tongue into the roof of my mouth. This helps me stymie my natural tendency to interrupt and it makes me have a big smile on my face. On a side note, I learned that trick from a photographer during a family photo session that my wife talked me into...and it is the best tip I have ever had on how to smile more.
The only other thing I would consider doing - and I have never had the opportunity b/c I did not know about it before - would be for them to all take the Disc profile. I am not sure on that but if nothing else I would definitely share mine!
Hope that helps.
-Joe
DISC: 7-2-1-6