This past week I had the opportunity to onboard two new teammates. Their first day in our school district came at a hectic time for the teaching and learning department. For the first time in a long while, I don’t just feel busy, I feel outmatched by the amount there is to do, but that’s a tale for another day, another blog post, my journal, therapist or all the above.
Regardless, one thing I know for certain: first days matter. A lot. When it’s someone’s first day in our school or organization, there’s a lot of signaling that goes on about our values and that of our organization. Whether we intend to send messages about our values or not, new employees are more awake than ever to the environment and people around them. So, it’s important that we create the kind of experience for them that we want them to create for others.
So, I cleared most of my calendar. The day would be about them. Prior to their arrival, I had them complete what I ask all of our teammates to complete – a getting to know you survey. There are a variety of questions on there ranging from how what’s your favorite morning beverage or breakfast treat to what’s your walk-up song or on a deeper level things like “What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?” “How do you prefer to receive feedback?”
The day prior, I decorated their workspaces with balloons in our district’s color scheme, had a wrapped gift and card for each of them (outlining why their unique gifts and talents are needed), and a banner that said, “The beginning of a new chapter.”
I had a table cloth in school colors on a table with plates and napkins that read, “The adventure begins.”
They both mentioned that they enjoy donuts, so I purchased donuts from a local shop, and I brought their personalized coffee orders.
While we enjoyed breakfast together, we talked about “Destination 2030” a newly outlined vision for our school district, and their role in that vision. I talked about the culture we aspire to have in our district, and their role in shaping that culture with every move they make. We toured the office, and I introduced them to everyone in the district office.
Later that morning, they joined me for a community gathering at one of our elementary schools. When they got in the car, I had green (one of our school colors) heart shaped sunglasses waiting for them in their seats, and we listened to their walk-up songs during the drive. When we returned, they had some time to make their workspaces their own and to get used to their laptops before I took them to lunch.
We enjoyed sandwiches at a local sandwich spot, and then I drove them around the district to see all of the other six school buildings. During the drive, they asked me various questions that came to mind about our community, and they practiced reciting the names of each building principal.
For the last few hours of the day, I spent an hour with each of them 1:1 talking more specifically about their role and its importance on our team and to our organization. I gave them some attainable, quick-win projects, and I asked what they needed from me in order to be successful in their work.
We ended the day with a little check-in/Q&A moment about what was on their minds.
They expressed gratitude for making the day so special and excitement about being on the team.
It was such a fun and meaningful day. While every day might not feel this special, I’m certain the memory of their first day will stay with them, and that in turn, they will create magical moments for others.
I first became enthralled with creating peak moments after a trip to Disney World. I later explored this concept further after reading Dan and Chip Heath’s book, The Power of Moments. I’ve become so infatuated with the impact these moments can make, I wrote about how I treat every meeting like I’m planning a dinner party for close friends in Legacy of Learning, a concept I credit to Elena Aguilar and her book, The Art of Coaching Teams.
In a world where you can be anything, be the person who makes the mundane somehow a little more interesting and special. We spend a lot of our life at work…why not make it fun?
Whether you’re creating a new staff orientation day or welcoming a new member to your office team this summer, how might you make the first day special?
MEGHAN LAWSON 
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