First Day, First Impression
初日、第一印象
Kenji had rehearsed his opening remarks a dozen times, yet the moment he entered the office, every carefully chosen word seemed to him.
For the past three weeks he had been preparing for this day, and now the entire team was watching him in complete silence.
"Good morning, everyone," he began. "My name is Kenji, and I've been looking forward to working alongside all of you."
A few colleagues nodded politely, though he could sense that their curiosity was mixed with a certain .
He had been told that this team had grown to managing itself, and that a new lead from might not be welcomed easily.
"I understand that you've all been doing excellent work long before I arrived," he continued, choosing his words with obvious care.
"I haven't come here to change everything overnight; I would simply like to understand how you prefer to work."
Priya, the senior engineer, folded her arms and asked the question that everyone had evidently been thinking.
"With respect, the last three managers have all promised the same thing. What makes you any different?"
It was a fair question, and Kenji had been dreading it since he had accepted the transfer.
"Honestly, I can't prove anything with words today," he admitted. "I'd rather you judged me by what I actually do."
The room seemed to relax slightly, as if they had not expected such a reply.
Marco, who led the sales side, leaned forward and offered a cautious smile.
"That's refreshing, I have to say. Most people from head office arrive with a long list of instructions."
Over the following hours, Kenji did far more listening than talking, which was precisely what he had planned.
He had been keeping a small notebook, and by lunchtime he had filled several pages with names, concerns and ideas.
Rather than issuing orders, he asked each member what had been frustrating them and what they wished could change.
Sofia, the project coordinator, mentioned that reports had been piling up because nobody had ever clarified who was responsible.
"That's exactly the sort of thing I'd like to fix," Kenji replied, noting it down at once.
By the end of the day, he had not solved a single major problem, and yet something had quietly shifted.
The team had begun, ever so slightly, to see him as a colleague rather than an .
As people gathered their things, Daniel, who had said almost nothing all day, paused by the door.
"You've been asking a lot of questions," he observed. "Just make sure you actually remember the answers."
"I've written every one of them down," Kenji said, holding up his notebook with a quiet smile.
Daniel gave a short nod, and for the first time that day, he looked almost convinced.
That evening, walking to the station, Kenji realised that trust could not be demanded; it had to be earned, one conversation at a time.
He had survived his first impression, but he knew the real test had not even begun.