Leadership Teams Strengthen Culture When Onboarding New Teammates Is a Shared Responsibility

We go to great lengths to find the right people for key leadership roles. Unfortunately, after all that effort, new leaders often step into team dynamics that limit their ability to offer the fullness of their experience and unique gifts. Sometimes it's because teammates don’t intentionally try to connect with them. Other times it's because their new teammates think it's solely up to the CEO to integrate them into the team.

From the perspective of the new teammate, they are often coming in with their own set of concerns. In the case of a promotion or a step up in their career, they may be dealing with imposter syndrome. Regardless of the team culture they enter, they are likely navigating some internal pressure as they try to find their footing.

Every time a new leader joins a team, it creates a significant opportunity. Teams that embrace the idea of teamship and shared ownership should collectively take responsibility for a strong transition. That first month, and even the first quarter, has a lasting impact on how that leader experiences the team and the decision they made to join it. If it goes well, there is a strong chance that positive momentum will carry forward. If it goes poorly, there is already a gap to overcome from the very beginning.

Learning from how the Spurs onboarded Wemby

In the postgame press conference following his first career playoff victory a reporter asked him if felt the weight of past playoff success the Spurs had achieved, following players like Tim Duncan and David Robinson, who were both in attendance watching the game.

His response was simple. He said he didn’t feel pressure. He said he felt “safe.” That’s not what you would expect. And it tells you something important about the environment he stepped into. From Coach pop, to the training staff, to the players on the team and even to the former greats who were providing mentorship, they wanted him to be successful. This isn’t to be taken for granted. Many retired athletes don’t spend time developing the very people that could impact their own legacy - but the Spurs held to a bigger objective and commitment to culture.

Most people joining an accomplished team feel some version of pressure. Pressure to prove themselves. Pressure to meet expectations. Pressure to show they belong alongside people with years of experience and significant accomplishments. You don’t join an organization with that kind of history and expectation and feel “safe” by accident - it has to be created.

And what makes that response so powerful is that the Spurs clearly didn’t remove the standards or expectations. If anything, the expectations surrounding Wembanyama were enormous. But they committed to creating an environment where support, connection, and trust existed alongside those expectations, allowing him to focus on learning and contributing rather than carrying the weight of proving he belonged.

High Performing Teams see onboarding as everyone's responsibility

One of the things that stands out about the Spurs is that they don’t appear to treat onboarding as solely the coach’s responsibility or something left to HR-like processes. They seem to understand that every interaction a new player has with the team will shape how quickly they feel connected, confident, and able to contribute.

High-performing teams understand that how they welcome and integrate a new teammate will directly impact how quickly that person feels safe, connected, and able to offer the fullness of their strengths and perspective.

The Spurs have built a reputation for creating environments like this intentionally, not leaving them to chance. Here are a few ways they appear to integrate new players into the team with intention:

Onboarding is a team responsibility: In organizations like the Spurs, leadership isn’t centralized. It’s shared. Teammates understand that how they show up will shape a new player’s experience. They don’t wait for someone to “figure it out.” They step in early to help them feel like they belong.

They create connection early: The Spurs have long been known for prioritizing relationships off the court, such as shared meals that build trust. Connection isn’t something they assume will happen over time. They create it from the beginning.

They make space for contribution: While Wemby joined an existing strong culture, the Spurs created space for him to continue to add to it. The result has been an even stronger culture than the one that existed before. With the invitation to contribute, he created a new fan section known as the Jackals and a post-game ritual where they beat a big drum, like they do at soccer games. It’s a powerful lesson that even great teams can get stronger if they create the space for new team members to continue to build on what's already there.

They reduce unnecessary pressure: Joining a franchise with that kind of history could come with enormous expectations. But instead of amplifying that pressure, the environment absorbs it. His comment that he felt “safe” suggests the team created space for him to focus on learning and growing, rather than carrying the weight of expectations alone.

They model the standard: The Spurs are often cited as one of the clearest examples of culture being lived, not just explained. Players like Tim Duncan set the tone through humility, consistency, and a team-first approach. For a new teammate, that makes expectations visible immediately.

A Final Thought

One of the most overlooked opportunities teams have is the arrival of a new teammate.

A new leader brings fresh perspective, new experiences, different instincts, and the potential to strengthen the team in meaningful ways. But whether those gifts fully emerge is often shaped by the environment the team creates together.

Onboarding is not just the CEO’s responsibility. It’s a shared one for the whole executive team to embrace. The teams that understand that are much more likely to help new teammates thrive from the very beginning.

-Shaun & Joe