How to Succeed in your New Role

Finally got the chance to finalize my notes for this event — “How to succeed in your new role”, that happened a few weeks ago.

(1) What mindset should people have when taking on a new role?

• be open-minded
• listen to colleagues, managers, mentors etc. to figure out the landscape

(2) How to set goals for your new role?

• differentiate between long-term career goals & role-specific goals — have a healthy mix of both
• the new role should have a stretch aspect to help you learn and grow to reach your long-term career goals
• give yourself 6 months to settle into the role
• know why they offer you the role, and what you can bring to the table will help you find where you can make a difference
• figure out your new team’s decision-making process, the key players making those decisions etc. will enable you to make an larger impact
• figure out the evaluation process for the role before taking it
• book recommendation — The First 90 Days

(3) To help you succeed in your new role, what should you ask your manager for?

• It’s the manager’s job to help their employees understand what it takes to be successful
• have an open dialogue with your manager about what you want or need to be successful (eg. what’s working, what’s not working etc.)
• Ask your manager — “what is one thing you want me to achieve in the next 6 months” to help prioritize what to focus on

(4) How to think about your next role?

• Find a north star for your career — what is one thing you want for every role you’re in? (eg. Influence important decision using data)
• Another approach is to identify things you want to learn or areas you want to grow, and grasp those opportunities when they come up

(5) Advice on how to find mentors

• Identify people you have worked with and admire, and reach out to them to get coffee
• Cheerleaders are great, but you also need to find someone who’s a truth teller to challenge you, and help you think differently

(6) Advice for people early in their career

• Use your network to help you get to the next role
• “There’s no prize for being right” — don’t be the “I told you so” type of person, you’re only pushing people away by doing so