Here’s another valuable Management Tip of the Day from Harvard Business Review. To sign up for a free subscription to any/all HBR newsletters, please click here.
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If you want to excel in a new job, you can’t rely solely on the orientations and meetings that HR sets up for you. Take control of your onboarding by cultivating connections up, down, and across the organization.
o Figure out who the influencers are in relation to your role, and get to know them face-to-face.
o And don’t make the common mistake of assuming you know what your top goals should be and how best to communicate with your new manager.
o Ask your boss questions to better understand how you will be evaluated and to identify potential early wins: “How do you prefer to give and receive feedback and be kept informed?” and “What should I accomplish in the next six months?”
Keep in mind that the goal isn’t to become a hero by tackling the biggest problem right away. Instead, go after something that can be achieved quickly and that delivers operational or financial results.
Adapted from “Starting a New Job? Take Control of Your Onboarding,” by Susan Peppercorn
Here’s a direct link to dozens of other Management Tips.