I attended an organisational induction day today. We were told about the history of the organisation, the different areas that we provide services in, met some of the staff and given information on the executives roles and names as well as shown photos of them. I made an effort to connect with the other staff sitting close to me.
At lunch I go into the kitchen to heat my lunch and there is a woman in there. in the same connecting spirit I start chatting about what I am doing there today and at some point ask what she does and her name. Turns out she is the CEO and less than 20 minutes prior I was shown a photo of her.
In embarrassment, and the truth, I tell her she looks nothing like her photo. Oh, she says. She looks heaps better in real life than in the photo, so much so that I didn’t recognise her, and I tell her this.
I feel a bit silly, but prior to the blunder I was connecting well!!!
In connection
100 days of connecting 
This is not a blunder, but honesty, empathy, complimenting, connecting and indirectly providing feedback that maybe induction could be less about telling/selling and more about sharing/growing. Each new team member subtlety changes the organisation. You’re off to a great start. (Reminds of the fable of the empower (CEO) who had no clothes!)
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Yes! Inductions are unique things, a very one way flow of information. What would be great is if the organisation also learnt more about us. The trainer at my new work has resigned, and being part time and a trainer, I offered to step in if that would be helpful (it is completely outside my current role). My manager didn’t know I had those skills. People bring with them so many talents and skills and tapping into those is an opportunity for organisations to be exceptional.
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