Departments

Winning The Day

Starting a
New Position

May 16, 2011

Q. I am about to take a Chief Information Officer position at a large company in the Detroit area. It is a newly created position and I was hired because I have held that position for several years where I am now and have done well. I want to get off on the right foot with my new colleagues and not come across as a know-it-all with all the answers. What advice can you offer?

A. You are smart to be aware of this dynamic. Some people at your new place of employment may be skeptical about “the new kid on the block.” Here are some thoughts:

• Write a short introduction of yourself that paints the picture you want people to have of you.
  It should tell people in a low-key, modest way who you are and what you’ve done. You will use this in conversations, team meetings, board meetings and in the community. Even if someone else introduces you, you can follow it with your own introduction. Write it down and practice saying it out loud so you sound confident and comfortable. It wouldn’t hurt to poke a little fun at yourself, like saying, “It might be a stretch to call myself a golfer, but I love the game.” Giving a little information about your personal side also will humanize you and help people relate to you.
• Develop three key messages about what you plan to do and how you plan to do it.
  Your first message should be that you plan to spend your first month observing, listening and learning from your team and your colleagues. Again, use neutral, low-key language and stress that it will be a team effort. Put these messages on a 3 x 5 card so they are handy at all times. You’ll want to use them at every opportunity so that people in all corners of the company are hearing the same thing from you.
• Present a calm, friendly, unhurried demeanor.
  Take time in meetings, in the hall, in the cafeteria, in the parking lot — everywhere — to greet and talk to people. Introduce yourself, be approachable and smile to put people at ease. They will take their cue from you, so if you show interest in them, they are more likely to drop their guard with you.
• Get a good administrative assistant.
  He or she should be your strongest ally and your ambassador with everyone inside and outside the company. Make sure that person is patient, friendly and helpful with people at all levels, from the janitor to the boss. Invest time in training your assistant so that he or she represents you in the best possible way with everyone.

If you do just one thing, listen more than you talk. Good luck!

Paula Blanchard Stone and Patty McCarthy are partners in McCarthy Blanchard, an executive training firm specializing in key message development, presentation skills training, media interview training and executive presence. Copyright © 2008 McCarthy Blanchard. | Website