When you join a company as a new manager, the core requirement of your introductory speech is to show the qualities that will encourage and enable your staff to be successful. Your speech needs to convey your aims and illustrate how you will be an approachable, inspirational leader.
Your first speech as a new manager is terribly important because it will shape your employees' opinion of you and so have a great impact on your achievements in your new role. You do not want to sound like the boss from hell, nor do you want to come across as a pushover.
Use the following tips and template to help you strike the right balance.
Preparation for Your New Manager's Speech
The key to setting the right tone is to fully understand what you are trying to achieve. This, invariably, depends on the current position of the company, the role of the team within the company and what you have been recruited to do. You should already know this from the recruitment/interview process and your market knowledge – perhaps the company is failing and you have been brought in to turn things around, or you may have been recruited to bring fresh ideas to a sluggish department. Whatever the reason, make sure you know it and design your speech to reflect your brief.
Template for Your New Manager's Speech
Use this template as a guide to ensure you cover the key elements of a successful speech for a new manager, but also to make sure you set the right tone for your new job. It’s nearly impossible to change your employee’s first impression of you and it will have a direct impact on your role, so make it count.
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Gather your new employees together in an appropriate setting – perhaps the boardroom, an open-plan meeting area or your new office, depending on the circumstances and the size of the team. Make sure you look the part – a sharp suit is always good, with a little creative twist if appropriate. Be on time and insist everyone else is too; it’s all part of setting the right tone.
- Gather everyone together
- Introduce yourself in a suitable manner
- Say you are excited to be working with your new team
- Give a brief personal/professional history
Example: I wanted to gather you all together to introduce myself and tell you a little bit about my plans for (company/department name). As some of you may already know, my name is (name) and I have joined (company name) as part of the new sales-focused initiative. I have been told that you are an enthusiastic, results-driven team and I am looking forward to utilising your talents for the benefit of us all. I come from a high-value sales project background and will be introducing some new projects to help us reach our potential.
2. Make Your Aims Clear
It is important to start as you mean to go on. Now you have introduced yourself in a friendly manner, you need to make your professional aims clear. While you do not want to make ultimatums or get off on the wrong foot, you do need to come across as strong, fair and inspirational in order to get the best from your new team.
- Highlight your aims for the team
- Make it clear that you are approachable and fair
- Explain how you will get the best from your team
Example: In order to achieve the new sales-focused initiative aims, I will be spending my first week speaking to each of you in turn. We will have a one-to-one opportunity to appreciate the challenges you are facing in your role and how I can help you reach the next level. I want to highlight the fact that I will rely on you each to be honest with me and, in turn, I will be honest with you. I have high expectations of every one of you and I have no doubt that, together, we can exceed the sales targets.
3. Build Loyalty and Shared Expectations
In order to empower and encourage your new team to work as hard as possible, they need to want to work with you. You need to come across as a manager that will fight their corner and support them as individuals. You do not need to be ‘one of them’ as, after all, you have to manage them, but you do need to build loyalty and shared expectations. By finishing your speech in this way, your new team will leave the meeting on a high and feeling positive about their new manager.
- Show that you will support your team
- Conclude with a positive message
Example: I am sure that we can work well together and I know that you are all capable of a great deal. I am here to help you reach your potential so I’m relying on each of you to prove me right!
New Campaign?
Time your introduction with launching a new sales campaign - here's a great way to intoduce it and motivate your new staff!
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