INTRODUCTION

Congratulations on your new role! The heavy lifting has been done. Now move in in style. Don’t be overwhelmed. We have all been the new kid on the block. It’s not easy. But you are going to be successful. One step at a time. Now on to your new successes on a daily basis. You want to enter every opportunity with the next-step mindset.  

POINTERS FOR A POWERFUL START IN YOUR NEW ROLE

Here are some pointers on how to become a HUGE success in your place of new employment or recent promotion.  This can be an arduous journey. But worth it in the end. Please note that scheduling everything to get this done and it may take more than 90 days. It’s not speed but full completion that we’re seeking to achieve!

• Read all of the company material that you have been given – I know it’s probably a lot of stuff. It will be worth it. You will at least see or become familiar with some of the protocols/processes/procedures.
• Handle all HR related documentation to the finish – Don’t leave any stone unturned.
• Learn the names of your immediate team members. Use memory tricks like matching a name to favorite color/animal/person. This will help you become a part of the team quicker. Take a little time to study them. Don’t feel bad, though! They will all know your name immediately!
• As you are learning your tasks, keep a detailed journal/log of each step. Clarify EVERYTHING.
• Ask for and study any manuals/documentation with company jargon, org charts and the like.
• Eventually become a part of one or two corporate activities such as the United Way Drive. You will meet more people in the company and become part of the company spirit.
• Establish your performance goals with your immediate supervisor. Your successful pathway forward is to know exactly what is expected of you. Seek to evaluate your own progress as the company has a yard stick, you should know what it is and how to use measure it. This should not only be discussed but scheduled by you and that leader.
• Identify a potential mentor within the company. This person should be someone who is seen as a leader at some level who can give you professional guidance on success and advancement in the ranks of that company/industry.
• Become a student of your industry and take what I call the Tiered-Career^© Basically, begin to learn pertinent things about industry your company is in as well as your job. Become increasingly knowledgeable about the current developments on the local/national/international level so that you can be more supportive of your internal/external customers. This will build your value to your internal/external partners. They will soon begin to see you as a resource.

An example of this is when I was in Information Technology, I was mentored by a great woman. We support the CFO in a Healthcare company. She encouraged me to know three things: My skill as a technology leader; 2) Insurance and how it functioned and the regulations around it; and 3) Learn and understand accounting principles. These THREE were golden.

CONCLUSION

There may be some people who will say, “Why are you doing this. Nobody knows all of this stuff. Doing the job is good enough.” These are probably the very same people who may be reporting to you in 5 years or less. Stick to your guns. You will be rewarded.

In this case, everything you need to know, you may not have learned in kindergarten as the title of Robert Fulgham’s renown book proclaims, but you surely can get a hold of what you need. Be proactive and you will find yourself in a good space 90 days from now!

Are you up for the challenge?