I’ve been dismayed to find so few web resources of real value when it comes to preparing for the first week of a new job. Many articles have been full of no-brainers like be on time, dress appropriately, and learn the workplace rules. These are probably appropriate for those recent college grads entering the work world for the first time.
I also found the same article in more than one source titled 11 Things NOT To Do The First Week Of Your New Job. Written from an emotional intelligence perspective, it is full of "advice" like Don’t Move In Too Fast and Don’t Talk Or Reveal Too Much. The real gist of the article is: don’t stand out, try to fit in. While I would agree that there are certain cultural norms to be observed in any workplace, I would argue equally that you shouldn’t stifle who you are just to blend into the pack (well, within reason). If you’re a manager and in a position of leadership, it’s vital to be assertive (not aggressive) in terms of personality. Your folks want to know who they are working for, what the expectations are, and how the new changes affect their work.
Here are some of the ways I plan to spend the first week of the job.
- Take my staff to lunch. It will be an informal way to get to know them outside the office walls.
- Schedule a 30 meeting with the other staff members. It’s a small office so it should be reasonable to accomplish this in a week or two. Listen and learn about their roles, their ideas, themselves.
- Familiarize myself with the basics. Budget, quantitative data, management reports…
- Take it easy on myself. In the process of getting myself up to speed, it will be ever so easy to push myself too hard in the beginning. I need to remind myself that I’m working toward the marathon, not trying to go for a sprint.
These are just a few off the top of my head. I’ll be thinking of others throughout this week. Now here’s where you come in: I’d love to get additional ideas and feedback on what you’ve found helpful in making that first week successful. Let’s all share the learning.
Chris, congrats on the new position. I hope it goes well. Any time you come into a position managing existing staff there's a delicate balance to be maintained between understanding the existing structure and establishing your own leadership imprint.
The steps you've laid out sound smart - definitely the right way to go for a first week.
I have to admit the notion of "don't stand out/try to fit in" makes me cringe a bit, though that may be a personality thing. In my opinion, you don't want to upset too many apple carts before you've grasped the full political situation of an organization, but in any position there is also a very brief window of opportunity to establish your reputation before you begin to accumulate baggage of your own (ie, perceptions of your capabilities).
Some of the best advice I received a long time ago was, when starting a new position, right away find one thing -- one simple, but very visible thing -- that you can either change dramatically or roll out (if new), as soon as possible. (Or even, in some cases, something you can eliminate.) Not change for its own sake -- but something that will be a noticeable improvement.
A quick victory establishes credibility you can bank for bigger things later on. It buys time you need to research, learn, build longer-term plans.
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