Why not try some "collaborative onboarding?"
Some ideas for how your organization can creatively use the book (toolbox) to onboard new team members
Today’s free tool: T7.5 NOVEL FEATURES + BENEFITS BLUEPRINT
Note: Contact me if you’d like to explore consulting, facilitation support, setting up a professional development workshop/ series, etc.
A request - If this post isn’t relevant to the “hat” you’re currently wearing, please share it with someone who you think might benefit.
A few generalizations about onboarding new team members -
It’s the first process new team members experience in your organization. It shapes their impression about who you are, how you work, and what matters to you.
If not structured dynamically it can feel tedious.
Other team members sometimes view it as an “extra” activity that takes them away from their priority responsibilities.
It’s often a one-size-fits-all all
Information tends to flow in one direction.
If any of these points are true about your organization’s onboarding, why not try something different? Create an “Onboarding Toolkit” from the Changemaking Tools in the book. Here’s how this might work.
Instead of asking existing team members to tell the new team member all about your organization, send the new team member on an “organization discovery journey” where they ask existing team members (as many as possible) questions using select Changemaking Tools to spark conversations. REMEMBER - The Changemaking Tools CAN and SHOULD be repurposed in all kinds of different ways.
Following are 5 Changemaking Tools I’ve selected that might be helpful -
T5.2 PERSONA MAP
Have them fill this out in as much detail as possible for your customer segments.
T7.1 LOGIC MODEL BLUEPRINT
Have the new team member fill this out for your organization.
T7.5 NOVEL FEATURES + BENEFITS BLUEPRINT
Ask them to have conversations about your products/ services and fill this out. Make sure they get the perspectives from a variety of existing team members.
T8.1 MARKET SIZE ANALYSIS + STRATEGY
Have them fill this out in as much detail as possible for your organization’s primary products/ services.
T12.1 INNOVATION STORY STRATEGY
Maybe as a final activity, have them use this as a guide to give a simulated “pitch” of your organization to existing team members.
You get the idea, right? And these are only five tools. I’m sure you can come up with ways to use at least 30 more.
Needless to say, you’ll still have to go through payroll paperwork, insurance, etc. in the traditional ways. But here’s what I believe are some benefits of using this “collaborative onboarding” approach.
It helps build relationships and contributes positively to your culture.
The new team member benefits from the perspectives of many team members.
It shows new team members that you value and respect them professionally.
It’s both effective and efficient.
New team members learn all about your organization in an empowering way.
New team members learn and practice tools that will help them in the future.
It helps new team members practice being proactive.
It helps you make sure your overall team is aligned.
I hope you found this helpful. Please do reach out to me at gregvankirk@gmail.com or on LinkedIn if I can be of help. And please forward this to anyone who you think might benefit. Much appreciated!