Meet your manager

You've most probably met your new manager because you were interviewed by them. Or, if it's an internal move, you may even have a working relationship with them already.

Your first appointment of the day is most likely to be with your new manager, having been pre-arranged at the end of the recruitment process. The appointment should notify you of where you need to go, when you need to be there, and who you need to ask for at reception.

If any of this has not been pre-arranged, pick up the phone and ask right now!

This part is no different to starting on any other job.

This also applies to dress code. You should know what the organization's standard dress code and culture is ahead of time; specifically, what your fellow managers wear on a day-to-day basis. Typically, customer-facing managers will be required to dress more formally than non-customer facing managers. But practices vary from organization to organization. If in doubt, ask!

Assuming that these basic things have been arranged, you can concentrate on setting your own mind up for success.

Mentally, the most important element is adapting your own sense of role and duty. Remember to acknowledge and conscientiously avoid the impostor syndrome. You haven't radically changed overnight as a person. You still have all of the knowledge, skills, and personality attributes of a brilliant and professional developer. You've been hired or promoted as a result of your good work. So, your new manager believes that you are the most suitable and capable person for the job!

If you're all set to meet your new manager at reception, then that's great!

Speaking from personal experience, there are sometimes mishaps that result in your new manager being absent on your first day.

I once arrived at the new office and asked for my new manager at reception. Unfortunately, no one picked up on their desk phone. It was a rented, shared office facility, so the receptionist didn't know who else to call.

This was before the days of the smartphone and emails on the go. So, I reverted to the paper documentation I had, which included correspondence with someone from HR. The receptionist was able to find the number for this recruiter, but there was also no answer!

After several attempts and a steadily building queue behind me, someone from my new manager's team picked up the call. Although they did not know the details of my arrival, they were aware that I was due to join the organization, so came to reception to greet me and sign me in.

It turned out that my new manager was ill and couldn't make it to work. Since it was a small team and my manager took care of all managerial tasks such as requesting new starter access, no one else had any idea of what was supposed to happen, including where I was supposed to sit. After a little embarrassed laughter, we found a peer of my manager, then my manager's manager, who was able to formally introduce me to the team and tell me where to sit!

Assuming that this sitcom scenario doesn't happen to you, you will meet your manager as soon as you start. A key difference between starting as a manager versus a developer is that you may be asked for your initial thoughts and plans for the team at a very early stage.

My advice on this is to manage your manager's expectations appropriately. Unless a situation is so obvious that it's unmissable, such as a team member who is behaving in a completely unprofessional manner, it's reasonable to stay reserved and conservatively objective.

You can and should be upfront in telling them your initiative observations. But do so without jumping to conclusions, and certainly refrain from selling your five-year plan on your first day.

The most important goal of your first meeting with your manager is to understand their thoughts, intentions, and plans for you and your team or project. You do so by asking them pertinent questions.

Setting an inquisitive and fearless tone early on helps to establish an open and healthy dialogue between you and your manager, in the most important relationship you have in the organization.

Ask questions such as:

• What is your vision for the team?
• What stage is the project currently at?
• What do the overall status, progress, risks, and issues look like?
• Which areas would you like to focus on first?
• What can I do to get up to speed quickly?
• Is there anything I can help with straight away?
• Who are my key stakeholders?
• What is the organization's standard project methodology?
• Why is this methodology used?

If there is an opportunity to talk about yourself, openly share your own background, strengths, and weaknesses. When sharing your relevant experiences, do so constructively and without prejudging or predetermining how you might deal with a real, current situation in your project or team. Remember that this is still your first day!

Also, remember that this is your very first one-to-one. As with your previous one-to-ones, these are regular meetings to catch up and request and receive support. So, also take the opportunity to discuss how you would like your one-to-ones to proceed, how often to meet, and what to focus on.