The Hero's Welcome: Transforming Your Onboarding

You're doing it wrong.

That safety briefing you call onboarding? It's not just boring—it's toxic.

Every new hire is a potential hero, arriving at your doorstep ready for their great adventure. But instead of a quest, you hand them a map to the fire exits.

Here's the thing: Great employees aren't looking for a job. They're searching for meaning, for a chance to leave their mark. They want to be part of something bigger. So why are we treating them like task-tickers and form-fillers?

It's time for a revolution in onboarding. Here's how to turn your first day from a snooze-fest into the opening chapter of an epic tale:

1. Unveil the Grand Design

Imagine handing your new hire a treasure map on day one. That's what sharing your business model canvas does.

It's not just a diagram—it's the blueprint of your organisation's value creation. It shows how their role fits into the grand scheme, how their daily tasks contribute to the bigger picture.

Suddenly, answering phones isn't just answering phones. It's being the voice of the company, the first point of contact in a customer's journey.

Don't have a business model canvas? Create one. Now. It's not just for your new hires—it's for everyone. It's the story of your business, told in a single page. Talk to me about getting a Business Model Canvas for your business.

2. Rewrite the Script

Your position descriptions are probably putting people to sleep. Wake them up.

Stop listing duties. Start defining kingdoms.

Every role should have clear areas of ownership. Not responsibilities—ownership. What part of the business is this person going to make their own? What slice of your success depends on them?

Then, paint a picture of success. Not metrics, not KPIs—a vivid image of what excellence looks like.

For a customer service rep, it might read:

"When you're done, the customer doesn't just have an answer—they have a story to tell. A story about how they were heard, understood, and cared for. A story they'll share at dinner parties and business meetings. A story that turns a problem into a moment of delight."

That's not a job description. That's a call to adventure.

The Ripple Effect

This isn't just about making new hires feel warm and fuzzy. It's about igniting a fire that will burn for years.

Employees who understand their place in the story, who see their role as crucial to the plot, don't just perform—they innovate. They don't just show up—they shape up the entire organisation.

They become the heroes you always knew they could be.

The Choice Is Yours

You can stick with your current onboarding. Keep handing out employee handbooks and pointing out the location of the toilets.

Or you can invite your new hires into a grand adventure. You can show them the kingdom they'll help build, the battles they'll help win, the lives they'll help change.

Which story do you want to tell?

The choice is yours. But remember, every hero's journey begins with a call to adventure.

What call will your new employees hear?

Need help crafting your organisation's hero's journey? Let's talk.

Because every team deserves a legendary beginning.