5 Don'ts...

Sometimes new people suck...

I bounce around stores a lot and I'm charged with infiltrating their environment, making a difference, and then leaving so that the next person can slide in and maintain what I've set up to some degree.  Through my bouncing around, I've learned a lot about how to go into a new situation without too much disruption.  Below I share my 5 don'ts.  These are things you DO NOT want to do in order to minimize the amount of chaos.  As I am about to embark on a new journey, I felt this was most appropriate.   

1.  Don't tell the team to build a boat--There's an old saying that you should never TELL a team to build you a boat, the saying concludes that if you tell them all the fabulous places they can go then they'll build the boat for you...New people hardly ever get boats built by demanding them. 

2. Don't call their baby ugly--More than likely, there will be some variance between what you learned things should be like in training, and what they actually are.  Even still, you can't just come in and SAY it.  Talk to the team, figure out the how's and why's behind things are the way they are.   

3.  Don't act like you have more to teach than you do to learn--This one will be a toughie for me  For the first time in a long time, I will not be the expert.  I have to acknowledge that and respect the learning curve...

4.  Don't underestimate the unwritten rules--Take the time to figure out who does what.  If it does not have a detrimental effect on the business, then try to not stray from that too much in the beginning.  Each environment has their own individual power structure where people silently (and implicitly) own certain areas--you have to figure that out before you step on any toes.

5.  Don't forget what you know--Yes, you may be the new kid on the block BUT don't forget that you're there for a reason.  You do know what you're doing and you're fully capable of making a decision.  Don't discredit yourself under the guise that you haven't done it before.   

Comments

[J. Dakar]

Each of those sounds great to me!