Onboarding New Teammates is a crucial Right-Minded Teamwork (RMT) process designed to ensure a new team member is effectively integrated into the team’s culture and operating system within their first week.
Unlike traditional, fragmented onboarding schedules, the RMT approach accomplishes this efficiently in a single, short meeting attended by the entire team. The presence of the group reinforces the philosophy of Oneness and immediately signals to the new teammate that their commitment is essential to the group’s success.
Core Components of the Meeting
The meeting focuses on securing alignment by presenting two essential components:
- RMT Goals: The shared purpose and desired outcomes, specifically achieving 100% Customer Satisfaction and living the Do No Harm. Work as One. philosophy.
- Work Agreements: The specific behavioral rules and processes (e.g., decision-making, meeting conduct) that the existing team created to achieve those goals.
The Power of the “Creation Story”
Crucially, the team does not just hand over a list of rules.
They explain why the Agreements were created. Sharing the creation story—the specific challenges the team faced and how the Agreement solved them—provides the necessary context. This transparency significantly enhances the new teammate’s buy-in and respect for the team’s standards.
Establishing Accountability from Day One
The process culminates in a two-way exchange that establishes Right-Minded Accountability:
- Clarification: The new teammate is encouraged to ask questions to ensure complete understanding, removing any potential for future ambiguity.
- Formal Acceptance: The team asks the new member to formally accept the goals and commit to actively living the Work Agreements.
This deliberate process ensures the new hire is not just an observer but is consciously brought into the Classroom culture. This immediate integration avoids common delays and cultural conflicts that often hinder the productivity of new hires. (See also: Onboarding New Team Leader for the more comprehensive process required for a new manager.)
Action
To learn more about Work Agreements, pick up a copy of How to Facilitate Team Work Agreements: A Practical, 10-Step Process for Building a Right-Minded Team That Works as One.
Download the ebook package here at Right-Minded Teamwork
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