One of the things that you hear quite often in interviews is how the best part of a candidates job is their co-workers. You spend most of your time with your colleagues and so it is incredibly important to be able to get along with them. This will have a direct impact on your day to day and overall experience at work. Although throughout the interview process you might get a sense of your new team’s personality, you won’t really be able to get a sense of how you will get along with your new team on a day to day basis until you start in your new role. There are however a number of little things you can do in order to ensure everything goes as smoothly as it possibly can. Here are a few tips to building great relationships with your new team.
Take ownership and be proactive – By taking initiative and stepping up to be the first person to do something, you can show the team that they can rely on you. This could be something like planning a volunteer day or coming up with a strategy for a client, you should take 100% responsibility for making sure the project is carried out from start to finish. This includes assigning the team individual tasks and meeting smaller deadlines. To help you keep everything organised and on track you should use a team management tool or shared calendar to make sure each member of the team knows their role, as well as to check on progress. As a result of being proactive and taking ownership, your team will know that you will get the work done and as a result trust you more in the future.
Communicate! – It is important to find out from your team how they like to communicate. Do they prefer to deal with emails, or maybe they like face to face conversations more than an email? By using the method of communication they prefer the most, you will be more likely to cut down on the back-and-forth which ends up frustrating the team and slowing down the process, and are more likely to get answers quickly.
Be Flexible and positive – When you start a new job there are always a few surprises, for example you may start in your new role and find out that you will be working on a different project than you thought, or your boss will soon be taking some leave. It is important to stay open minded no matter what is thrown at you and take these unexpected experiences as an opportunity to grow. When you have a positive outlook, it will help you to deal with these types of situations and as a result your co-workers will look forward to working with you.
Concentrate on team goals – Everyone who starts a new job feels pressured to prove themselves. You will however make more of an impact if you focus on the bigger picture and how you can contribute to the team goals. When the project comes to an end take the time to acknowledge the work that everyone involved did. Teams who can work well together are much more productive than those who do not. By praising other team members and their accomplishments you can demonstrate to the team that you are looking out for the whole team not just your own interests.
Start Early – In order to make a good first impression on the team, be early every day. Also, by giving yourself some time before launching into your work, you will be in a more productive mood. You could also go the extra mile and offer to pick up coffee for the team.
Having an effective team is crucial for high productivity. You want your new team to value you and vice versa, so by taking a number of these steps you can build confidence in your co-workers that you are dedicated to the team and a valuable member. For more information on our leadership/team coaching services click here or email info@rfc.ie
Joseph, S. (2018) Starting A New Job? Here’s How To Get Along With Your Team. [Online] https://www.forbes.com/sites/shelcyvjoseph/2018/09/30/starting-a-new-job-heres-how-to-get-along-with-your-team/#6381c01013c4
Sharma, G. (2018) Six Ways To Successfully Join And Lead A New Team. [Online] https://www.forbes.com/sites/gaurisharma/2013/09/18/six-ways-to-successfully-join-and-lead-a-new-team/#80c850676c09