Prepare for someone's first week.

Who is joining, and what's their role?

Name, title, and start date if you have it (e.g. "Priya, Senior Engineer, starts Monday").

How do you want them to feel by the end of week one?

Not what they need to learn — how they should feel. Safe, excited, clear, like they belong. Pick one or two words and then explain what that means in practice.

What does someone need to know about how this team actually works?

The unwritten stuff. Communication norms, decision-making, what gets people stuck, who to go to for what. The things that take most people months to figure out on their own.

What would make week one feel like a success — for them and for you?

Think small. One conversation, one deliverable, one moment. What would make you think "yes, that landed well"?

What do you tend to drop the ball on when onboarding someone?

Be honest with yourself. Leaving them alone too long? Over-scheduling? Forgetting to check in? Naming it now means you can actually do something about it.