The corporate induction is an opportunity to start a new conversation

"What characterises corporate cult is the degree of control management exercises over employees' thinking and behaviour.

This starts with recruitment, where employees are screened for their "fit". Once in, they then see that on-boarding processes and incentive systems tend to reinforce the need for alignment."

Manfred Kets de Vries

Some questions for 'L&D' and their corporate inductions:

Does the induction set out the context for the organisation and the team the new colleague has joined?

Does the induction describe the key challenges for the organisation and the new contributions needed to solve these together?

Is the induction practically demonstrating the organisations' commitment as a continuously learning organisation?

Does the induction enable and accelerate new connections for the participants?

Does the induction help the participants to form a new network(s)?

Is the induction encouraging the participants to bring their unique, individual contribution?

Does the induction encourage the participants to ask more and better questions?

Are the aims of the inductions focused beyond broadcasting "policies" and "logistics"?

Does the induction keep promises made in the recruitment process?

Does the induction enable line managers to take full ownership for realising the potential of their new team members?

Does the induction reflect the future behaviours and values the organisation needs to grow?

(Or does the corporate induction seek only to initiate 'compliance', 'speed to competence' and 'higher productivity'?).


Paul helps L&D teams to see induction as the opportunity to start a new conversation and to lead through their own example.