You wouldn’t hand a child the keys to a car and expect them to drive without lessons, so why do so many leaders throw new hires into the deep end and expect them to swim?
The Foundation Stage (see Figure 6.1) is not a formality; it’s a defining moment. It sets the tone for how quickly and effectively someone will grow in their role. This stage is where leadership development truly begins.
To lead effectively in this critical onboarding stage, it is important to understand what team members are experiencing.
Understanding the Foundation Stage
From the perspective of new employees, everything is new. New team. New expectations. New systems. They don’t know what they don’t know yet—and that’s okay. But it also means that early confidence is often misplaced. Excitement is high, but it’s built on assumptions, not understanding.
Figure 6.1The Foundation Stage
Their mindset might sound like this:
“This is exciting!”
“I’ve got this.”
“I want to impress my manager.”
“Wait…this is more complicated than I expected.”
“I hope I don’t mess this up.”
At this stage, new employees are in Unconscious Incompetence—they don’t yet realize how much they don’t know. And if we’re not careful, their initial optimism can quickly become anxiety and hesitation.
The leader’s job? Provide clarity, structure, and modeling. Not just what to do, but how and ...
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