“Excel at your new job”

Now that you have made the leap with your first job its time to go to work. Adjusting to corporate is not easy, however it can be done. Many of us have made the leap, however not all will excel. Below are a few steps to help you get started. This list is not exhaustive and depending on your role and the company you have joined there are several more work tips. However the list below are common pitfalls I have witnessed personally and as a leader with new MD’s in a corporate setting.

• Take time to learn
  • Take pause to get to know your new team and learn from their experience. Many of them have been doing this a lot longer than you and they will have a lot to teach if you are willing to learn.  Take the time to read through both old and new decks. Learning how a company arrived to where they are today helps understand current goals.

• Do not try to be the smartest person in the room.
  • The excitement to prove yourself is understandable and expected. It is often the case that removing complexity and allowing others to find the solution is more powerful than for you to propose it. So allow others to shine.

• Understand the business goals:
  • Rather than ask your leader what you should do or how you will be measured, try to learn the problems they are trying to solve and/or business objectives they have. Once you understand the business and/or department goals your ability to contribute will increase 10x.

• Manage up.
  • Former US Navy SEAL Jocko Willink said it best, “Don’t focus on what you wish you could change about your boss. Instead, focus on being your boss’s ally. Great boss or horrible boss, my goal is to have a great relationship with that person.” This does not mean be their best friend; it means do the work so they can lead you instead of managing you.

• Stay curious.
  • Try to learn outside of your department or company. If you are in a large company like me, it is very important ot understand what other departments are doing and how we all fit together. If you are in smaller company then try to understand the industry landscape; competitors, potential customers, what the future will look like 5-10 years from now.

• Ask for help and over communicate
  • Medicine trains us to make the tough calls and limit communication until necessary. In a corporate environment it is better to over communicate and ask for help early on. It provides transparency on the work you are doing, and encourages collaboration.

• Take meeting notes
  • Taking notes shifts you from a passive to an active listener. In addition to organizing your thoughts, the team will find your notes helpful after the meeting to review and add comments to.