How To Handle Your 1st Introductory Speech As A New Manager?

Handling a new role is full of challenges, especially for a new manager who wants to be perceived as a good leader in the eyes of his/her team members. So, let’s imagine this, if you handle a new leadership role and tomorrow is your 1st team meeting as a new manager, what should you consider in your speech and communication style?

1) Have a clear “Logical” objective.

That 1st meeting isn’t about specific actions nor about declaring your vision, it’s rather about making a solid 1st impression, establishing a trust base with your team, and setting the tone of the type of collaboration you and your team will have. Understating this will help you eliminate the points that can be discussed later in separate meetings and will help you focus on what matters now.

2) Understand their profiles.

One of the important steps to do so is to research your team. Know their names, titles, functions, who is new to the company, who has been promoted recently, who was been newly married, got a new baby…etc. and bring some of the information up when they fit into the conversation. Such small details will give your team member the impression that you care enough and will give you the floor to engage and connect with them.

3) Highlight your values, indirectly!

Your team members will have worries and will be skeptical, which is of course a valid feeling. Try to calm down some of their worries by getting them to know the real you. This isn’t about sharing your accomplishments or your intensive expertise, it’s rather about sharing what you cherish the most and what motivates you personally. Nothing is more powerful than values to help you achieve this. Values are one of the strongest indicators of a person’s mindset and personality. Try to find stories or previous experiences that can indirectly show your personal values without stating them directly. All of this shouldn’t take more than 15% of the full speech time.

4) Give them the floor to speak up.

Most of the time during your first team meeting should be dedicated to listening and analysis. Do not monopolize the floor and give them the space to share their expectations. This will help you figure out the quick wins that you can work on, such as projects or actions that just require simple changes/decisions but have been hindering the progress of other important things. You can lead the conversation with constructive questions such as:

· What do you see as opportunities for team improvement?

· What activities do we need to start or stop doing as a team?

5) Highlight team communication channels and meeting frequency.

One of the most confusing things for employees with new managers is not knowing when and how can they approach them for questions or help and what type of meetings they will have with them in the near future, that’s why it’s important to clarify which channels should team members use for quick advice, informal discussions, critical situations, or another type of discussions. In addition to, when where, and how often the team will meet?

6) Rehearse, It’s not an option!

It’s quite normal to feel anxious, that’s why rehearsing your introductory speech is essential to control the stress, help you express yourself with power, and allow you to sound natural. Rehearsing will also help you avoid exceeding the time you allocated for each part so you can focus on what matters the most.

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