# Getting to know a new direct report: week one questions for managers Getting to know your new team questions for week one, manager prompts that build trust fast on engineering teams. According to iSilta's 2026 survey of 146 organizations, 61% introduce formal people leadership training only after promotion. Use this guide to move from generic advice to week by week manager habits on engineering teams. ## Why week one sets the management contract **Why week one sets the management contract is a manager practice that turns getting to know your new team questions into predictable team behavior, not a poster on the wall.** Engineering managers win when getting to know your new team questions is treated as operational data, not a one time workshop. According to iSilta's 2026 survey of 146 organizations, 61% introduce formal people leadership training only after promotion. That pattern shows up when managers lack shared context about how each person communicates, prioritizes, and recovers from stress. On software teams, new manager first week and new direct report questions intersects with delivery pressure, on call load, and review culture. Document what you learn in 1 on 1 notes and team forums so improvements survive reorgs. Prefer small experiments over big bang programs; measure behavior in the next sprint retro, not only in annual surveys. If you are starting from zero, pick one report and one team ritual to change this week. Ask what would make getting to know your new team questions easier for them, then close the loop publicly. Teams trust managers who act on listening, not managers who collect more forms. Pair this work with shared profiles and action points after 1 on 1s so context survives handoffs. When getting to know your new team questions shows up in skip levels and retros, not only in HR decks, you reduce the weak 1 on 1 patterns that show up when training arrives too late. ## Which questions build trust fastest? **Which questions build trust fastest is a manager practice that turns getting to know your new team questions into predictable team behavior, not a poster on the wall.** Engineering managers win when getting to know your new team questions is treated as operational data, not a one time workshop. According to iSilta's 2026 survey of 146 organizations, 61% introduce formal people leadership training only after promotion. That pattern shows up when managers lack shared context about how each person communicates, prioritizes, and recovers from stress. On software teams, new manager first week and new direct report questions intersects with delivery pressure, on call load, and review culture. Document what you learn in 1 on 1 notes and team forums so improvements survive reorgs. Prefer small experiments over big bang programs; measure behavior in the next sprint retro, not only in annual surveys. If you are starting from zero, pick one report and one team ritual to change this week. Ask what would make getting to know your new team questions easier for them, then close the loop publicly. Teams trust managers who act on listening, not managers who collect more forms. Pair this work with shared profiles and action points after 1 on 1s so context survives handoffs. When getting to know your new team questions shows up in skip levels and retros, not only in HR decks, you reduce the weak 1 on 1 patterns that show up when training arrives too late. ## How do you learn working style without forms? **How do you learn working style without forms is a manager practice that turns getting to know your new team questions into predictable team behavior, not a poster on the wall.** Engineering managers win when getting to know your new team questions is treated as operational data, not a one time workshop. According to iSilta's 2026 survey of 146 organizations, 61% introduce formal people leadership training only after promotion. That pattern shows up when managers lack shared context about how each person communicates, prioritizes, and recovers from stress. On software teams, new manager first week and new direct report questions intersects with delivery pressure, on call load, and review culture. Document what you learn in 1 on 1 notes and team forums so improvements survive reorgs. Prefer small experiments over big bang programs; measure behavior in the next sprint retro, not only in annual surveys. If you are starting from zero, pick one report and one team ritual to change this week. Ask what would make getting to know your new team questions easier for them, then close the loop publicly. Teams trust managers who act on listening, not managers who collect more forms. Pair this work with shared profiles and action points after 1 on 1s so context survives handoffs. When getting to know your new team questions shows up in skip levels and retros, not only in HR decks, you reduce the weak 1 on 1 patterns that show up when training arrives too late. ## What should you share about yourself? **What should you share about yourself is a manager practice that turns getting to know your new team questions into predictable team behavior, not a poster on the wall.** Engineering managers win when getting to know your new team questions is treated as operational data, not a one time workshop. According to iSilta's 2026 survey of 146 organizations, 61% introduce formal people leadership training only after promotion. That pattern shows up when managers lack shared context about how each person communicates, prioritizes, and recovers from stress. On software teams, new manager first week and new direct report questions intersects with delivery pressure, on call load, and review culture. Document what you learn in 1 on 1 notes and team forums so improvements survive reorgs. Prefer small experiments over big bang programs; measure behavior in the next sprint retro, not only in annual surveys. If you are starting from zero, pick one report and one team ritual to change this week. Ask what would make getting to know your new team questions easier for them, then close the loop publicly. Teams trust managers who act on listening, not managers who collect more forms. Pair this work with shared profiles and action points after 1 on 1s so context survives handoffs. When getting to know your new team questions shows up in skip levels and retros, not only in HR decks, you reduce the weak 1 on 1 patterns that show up when training arrives too late. ## How do you translate answers into calendar and norms? **How do you translate answers into calendar and norms is a manager practice that turns getting to know your new team questions into predictable team behavior, not a poster on the wall.** Engineering managers win when getting to know your new team questions is treated as operational data, not a one time workshop. According to iSilta's 2026 survey of 146 organizations, 61% introduce formal people leadership training only after promotion. That pattern shows up when managers lack shared context about how each person communicates, prioritizes, and recovers from stress. On software teams, new manager first week and new direct report questions intersects with delivery pressure, on call load, and review culture. Document what you learn in 1 on 1 notes and team forums so improvements survive reorgs. Prefer small experiments over big bang programs; measure behavior in the next sprint retro, not only in annual surveys. If you are starting from zero, pick one report and one team ritual to change this week. Ask what would make getting to know your new team questions easier for them, then close the loop publicly. Teams trust managers who act on listening, not managers who collect more forms. Pair this work with shared profiles and action points after 1 on 1s so context survives handoffs. When getting to know your new team questions shows up in skip levels and retros, not only in HR decks, you reduce the weak 1 on 1 patterns that show up when training arrives too late. ## What do you defer until week two? **What do you defer until week two is a manager practice that turns getting to know your new team questions into predictable team behavior, not a poster on the wall.** Engineering managers win when getting to know your new team questions is treated as operational data, not a one time workshop. According to iSilta's 2026 survey of 146 organizations, 61% introduce formal people leadership training only after promotion. That pattern shows up when managers lack shared context about how each person communicates, prioritizes, and recovers from stress. On software teams, new manager first week and new direct report questions intersects with delivery pressure, on call load, and review culture. Document what you learn in 1 on 1 notes and team forums so improvements survive reorgs. Prefer small experiments over big bang programs; measure behavior in the next sprint retro, not only in annual surveys. If you are starting from zero, pick one report and one team ritual to change this week. Ask what would make getting to know your new team questions easier for them, then close the loop publicly. Teams trust managers who act on listening, not managers who collect more forms. Pair this work with shared profiles and action points after 1 on 1s so context survives handoffs. When getting to know your new team questions shows up in skip levels and retros, not only in HR decks, you reduce the weak 1 on 1 patterns that show up when training arrives too late. ## How do getting to know your new team questions practices compare? Approach Strength Risk Ad hoc conversations Fast to start Inconsistent across reports; hard to scale Shared written profiles Reduces guessing; helps hybrid teams Stale if never revisited in 1 on 1s Pulse and 1 on 1 loop Connects listening to action Fails if leaders skip follow through ## Implementation steps * Clarify why getting to know your new team questions matters to your team this quarter. * Co create norms with reports; do not publish mandates without input. * Pilot for two weeks; gather friction in 1 on 1s. * Publish what changed because people spoke up. * Revisit after org or role changes. ## Week one questions for a new direct report * What should I know about how you like to work that most managers miss? * What does a great week look like for you in this role? * Where do you want more clarity from me? * How do you prefer to receive feedback? * What should I never surprise you with? * Who are key partners you rely on? * What risks do you see in the next 30 days? * How can I shield your focus time? * What recognition has mattered to you in past roles? * What would make our 1 on 1s valuable? ## Frequently asked questions What should week one questions avoid? Interrogation about past drama, premature performance fixes, or commitments you cannot keep. How many 1 on 1s in week one? At least two: one for listening, one for co creating working agreements. Should you ask about career goals immediately? Yes, lightly, focus first on how they work and what they need to succeed this month. How do you involve the team? Facilitate intros with context (role, strengths), not surprise public Q&A. Related: first one on one with new employee, new manager first one on one, inherited a team first 30 days. Prefer prepared conversations over memory alone? Explore iSilta features or try the product demo. Canonical: https://isilta.com/blog/getting-to-know-a-new-report-week-one/