This week I celebrated my first month anniversary at my new gig. Prior to starting at my organization, I wrote a
post called Seeking Input: First Week of New Job where I asked for thoughts on how to best begin my new work. In addition to some of my own ideas, I received some suggestions that were very useful. They really helped me consider how to bring an immediate impact to my work and my relationships.

Perhaps David Batstone at Worthwhile Magazine was influenced by my post. Earlier in the week, he wrote a post called Five Tips for Thriving in Your New Job (could just be coincidence, but his post was one day short of my actual one month anniversary; could be that I’m just a tad self-absorbed). While David drew some criticism for these tips, I’m on the side of agreeing with them. Here’s the tips and my experience with each:

1. Put all the expectations on the table. When you’re hired to fill a position, there are expectations and hopes (often tacit) that need to be understood and managed. My position was open for quite a while and my CEO had certain expectations for what I would accomplish; my staff had their own expectations for how I would help facilitate and guide their work; I had my own expectations and hopes for what I could deliver. Rather than making assumptions, I scheduled meetings to get all these things out in the open. Nobody likes guessing what is expected of them. The best part of knowing is that it helps set priorities for accomplishing tasks. I walked into a challenging circumstance where much still needs to be done. However, rather than trying to guess which initiative needs my attention, I can consult our shared expectations and determine where my efforts can best be focused right now.

2. Identify a relatively simple problem and fix it within the first 90 days. I happen to believe that this is a solid piece of advice. Kevin mentioned this in his comment to my initial post and it has stuck with me. This has nothing to do with showing people up (if it’s so ‘low-hanging’ why didn’t it get fixed before?) or ignoring the root causes behind a problem. I believe the core principle here is that folks need to know that a leader can bring something new to the table and make things happen. Whether we like it or not, all new employees are in a position to explain their reasons for being around. This is even more critical for new executives and leaders.

I like Kevin’s rationale for the importance of this tip: "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." I have a couple of changes in the pipeline that, when completed, will address a couple of key concerns shared by my staff and make a dramatic impact on their daily work. They probably will take 90 days to complete, but knowing that these issues are important and in the process of being addressed builds my credibility as a leader. If I didn’t do these things, I wouldn’t blame anyone for being suspicious about my abilities and cynical about my intentions.

3. Make yourself invaluable. This tip ties into the previous one and I can see how the language might put someone off. Rather than taking a defensive stance as a way to avoid a layoff or a "reassignment," let’s turn this one around to read: Constantly focus on bringing value to your work. We’re still talking value, but in a more active way. This tip requires us to think of what we bring on a couple of different levels.

One, what unique value do I bring to my organization? We all have talents and it might take some time in the job to figure out which ones are most beneficial to the organization’s core objectives. After a month, I can now see that I provide high value through my philosophy of creating passion-provoking member experiences, my ability to see patterns and apply a systemic mindset to organizational issues, and my belief in the benefits of creating a Soulful Workplace.

Secondly, what value do I want to deliver today? At the beginning of each day, I think about what value I intend to bring throughout the day and then at the end of each day, I reflect on how I did. Sometimes I get it right, sometimes not. In the end, my personal efforts to deliver value are mine to keep. Even if there is a layoff or I decide to move on, I have crafted a portfolio of work that markets myself as valuable.

4. Fit into the firm’s culture. This is a challenge. You want to integrate into the culture, but there are areas where it might be in the organization’s best interests to push back a little. If your new company has a tendency to allow conflicts to fester, a new perspective on confronting interpersonal relationship issues is important. I guess the point is to fit in, but don’t do it blindly.

5. New hires must establish credibility while sharing credit. This connects back to tip #2. Nobody needs a new boss or colleague who immediately comes in, gets things moving, and then pats themselves on the back without sharing the accolades. However, anyone who has read my previous post on being a savior knows that it can be easy for me to slip into a kind of messianic role. I’m working on this.

Thanks again to all commenters and well-wishers who helped me through this first month. Be well.