Advice for transitioning to a new job

Are you joining a new organization? Here are some principles to consider

Are you about to join a new company or move to a new team? Adjusting to a new culture and meeting new people is tough. Hence, this shortlist:

1) Focus on learning, not proving. If you spend time trying to prove yourself, you'll end up asserting your opinions and ideas without appropriate context. Come in with a mindset to learn so you can grasp the overall situation quickly.

2) Learn about the team's mission. Understand how your team fits in the company’s larger picture. What's your team's purpose? Why is it that your team even exists in this organization? Your team is playing an integral role.

3) Learn about the problem. Try to understand the objective that your team is responsible for in this quarter. Ask around: Why did the team have that objective in the first place? What problem are we solving?

4) Talk to key people. Identify people who will work closely with you and the leads within your scope. Listen to what people have in their minds. Understand what role they play in the organization and what’s their strengths. This way, you know when to talk to whom.

5) Be prepared to adapt. By joining a new organization you'll be exposed to a different culture and way of working. You can't just copy and paste what you did in the previous job. Be ready to adjust a few things.

6) Take notes on anything standout. New joiners come with fresh eyes. This can benefit the team that has been exposed and saturated on the space for a long time. Ask obvious questions while you have a permission to do so. Also, take notes on the onboarding experience and share how you feel about it.

7) Identify the team's challenges. What are the challenges the team feels? Is there anything you can contribute to reducing those? Try to look for a small win for the team.

8) Identify red flags. Working with a team is a two-way relationship. Take notice of conflicting values, cultures, or approaches that annoyed you. After 2-3 months, consider if this team is a fit for you.

9) Build rapport. People won’t trust you overnight. Just be patient. Help people, deliver what you’re responsible for, and start a 1:1 session with your team member. At some point, you’ll no longer be a stranger and gain their trust.

10) Build a checkpoint for every 30, 60, and 90 to gain feedback from your team. In the first 30 days, ask for people’s feedback on how they perceive you. Identify if there are any big changes you need to make. Repeat this ritual until 90 days or after you feel settled.