Hit the ground running

You have the new job you wanted or you have just been handed the assignment you were eyeing. Now it’s time to get going. How do you give yourself the best chance of success? Here are some ideas.

Build credibility quickly: Learn the background of key people in the organisation or on the assignment team in order to establish rapport quickly. Aim to form your own opinion about things and people from a variety of sources. Observe the culture, how different it may be from how you like to work and work out how best to adjust and make your mark.

Use meetings to learn fast: Good meetings are a great way to mine information. Attend these prepared with questions you’re seeking answers to. Identify the power players; not just those with senior positions but the informal ones as well who may be looked up to because of their unique expertise or their capacity to influence others.

Operate from the broader picture: Don’t quickly zero in on the job; understand the context. This includes identifying the different constituencies, the nature of the office politics, multiple perspectives on key issues, your boss’s take on the organisation’s strategic direction and how you’ll contribute to that.

Know how you’ll be assessed: Don’t get into deep work without knowing how your performance will be judged. For each of your major responsibilities agree with your manager the success criteria and make sure you have the authority you need to get your job done. Keep a performance log to capture your progress.

Do the job: Learning quickly how an organisation works and starting the actual job you were hired to do can be overwhelming. Don’t feel you need to be a ‘genius’. Ask for help where you need it and get some quick wins in order to gain confidence in yourself and from others.

Now take action: How do you ensure a good start on any new assignment?