This chapter assumes that you have followed my advice and worked hard on your job search-sending out professional and focused resumes, networking extensively, interviewing and following up, working with search firms-and, lo and behold, landed a great job. You then accepted the offer and negotiated a favorable contract. Well, what else is there? Simple, roll up your sleeves and get to work, right? Wrong. Even the finest candidates can get into trouble when starting off in a new job.
Practical Tips
In a sense, beginning your new position is a continuation of your job search. If you don't fit into the organization, you may lose the job you worked so hard to win. To prevent that from happening, I have some practical and prudent tips, which will ease your entry into the organization and safeguard your continued success.
Take Your Time
You might have big plans, but hold off on implementing them too soon after your arrival.
Assess the Management Style and Organizational Philosophy
How do they do things? Who really runs the show? The ability to adjust to the organization's culture is vital to men and women alike, but can pose particular difficulties for women who are working primarily with male colleagues. The first few months may seem like a trip across a mine field, but you want to focus on fitting in. If you view your new colleagues as allies, and not adversaries, you minimize a potential problem. In a study conducted by the Center of Creative Leadership in San Diego, the difficulties associated with becoming part of the culture of the new workplace were the primary reason for derailment among women executives. My advice here echoes a major theme of this book: You rarely go wrong with a positive and professional attitude.
Keep Your Mouth Shut
More politely, listen to what others say. Pay attention to what the problems are. Even though the organization may be in trouble, new employees usually have a honeymoon period. Use this time wisely.
Gather Information
You can continue the data gathering you did before you were hired now that you are inside. Read in your spare time to find out all you can about your new organization and your particular function within it.
Avoid Intrigue
Resist getting involved in any political intrigue or gossip. As the new person, you may be approached by people eager to tell you the inside scoop, but you need to avoid this without seeming self-righteous.
Be Courteous and Friendly to Everyone
Organizations tend to be very hierarchical, yet in your dealings with all levels-board members, superiors, peers, medical staff, and subordinates-you should be equally respectful and professional. Your conduct toward all colleagues should be above reproach.
Conduct Yourself Professionally
Discriminatory harassment, which includes sexual harassment, is a serious problem in the workplace, yet some people are still unclear about just what constitutes an inappropriate or offensive remark. When in doubt, cut it out. Also, telling ethnic or off-color jokes may jeopardize others' opinions of you. You don't have to be a stuffed shirt, but you want to be businesslike and conduct yourself ethically. When we hear the term "sexual harassment," we usually think of someone demanding sexual favors as a condition for employment, but it is also sexual harassment when an employee creates a hostile environment by speech or behavior. If you want more information, see the end of the chapter for some further reading or read the organization's employment policy.
Be Visible
Be out and about an hour daily meeting with people. Meet and greet the night shift. Let people know who you are. Learn their names.
Focus on the Work at Hand
Start doing what you do best, solving problems and getting things done. Before you know it, you will feel at ease. You can now become an indispensable part of the organization.
Resist Importing Too Many Ideas and People from Your Past Organization
People quickly tire of hearing how great things were where you used to work. If they were so great, why aren't you still there? There is hardly any organization that doesn't have some value. By constantly referring to your past experience, you indirectly put down your current organization. Along these same lines, if you begin a hiring spree by recruiting employees from your old organization, you risk (1) alienating your former employer, (2) creating a clique of people who think and act the same way, and (3) offending the employees in the current organization whose support you need.
Examples
I have included two examples roughly based on actual people whom I have known. In the first, the candidate successfully made the transition into the new organization. In the second, the person didn't work out and was let go.
Example 1
Joe's tenure as CEO of a somewhat troubled hospital had been rocky and he was eventually forced to resign. After a thorough search, he eventually took a job as COO in a larger hospital, working for Barney. Joe was careful to make sure that Barney was informed if any issues cropped up with the medical staff. He was also careful not to upstage the CEO, who was naturally concerned whether Joe could make the transition back to COO. In all his dealings with the doctors and the administrative staff, Joe worked to make sure that he was perceived as supporting the CEO. Any disagreements he and the CEO had were worked out behind closed doors and never discussed elsewhere. In this way, Joe successfully came to be viewed as a respected and effective part of the leadership team at the new hospital.
Example 2
Mike reported as COO to Ben, the CEO, but his recruitment had been forced on Ben by the president of the multihospital system. During the course of the interviews, Mike never informed Ben that he was a heavy smoker, although the fact that the hospital was smoke-free had come up during the interview small talk. After he started working at the new hospital, Mike was frequently seen on the patio with the rank-and-file workers who smoked. This practice irritated Ben, who never confronted Mike about it. In Ben's opinion, smoking outside looked bad, and someone could think that Mike was talking with employees about inappropriate matters. In fact, Mike did no such thing. But in this situation, appearances mattered more than the truth, and Ben's impression of Mike was irreparably damaged. They failed to establish a good working relationship, and Mike was let go. Fitting in can be just as important as getting into an organization.
Ending the Job Search
At the same time that you begin your new job, you also wind down your job search. I have some common sense suggestions on how to smoothly end the process that you have so vigorously pursued. Although you have borne the burden and responsibility of your job search, you have been helped by many individuals. As a courtesy to them, you should let them know that you have succeeded in finding the right job. Notify all the members of your network once you have accepted a position. Deactivate your candidacy with other organizations, and celebrate your success.
Shutting Down Your Network
Notifying all the contacts in your network gives them the satisfaction of knowing that you found a suitable position and allows them to update your record in their network files. You should also use this opportunity to thank them for their contribution to your success. Use your TNT records to ensure that you remember the names of all the individuals with whom you discussed your job search.
Deactivating Your Candidacy
Deactivating your candidacy is an important follow-up task to carry out. Quite probably you are still being considered for other positions. You owe it to those other organizations to alert them of your decision to accept another position. From their perspective, you are still in the running unless you tell them otherwise.
Celebrate!
Reward yourself. This step may sound obvious, but many health care administrators are so involved in their work that they are not used to taking time to be self-indulgent. Mark this significant accomplishment with a three-day weekend at a nice resort, a well-deserved celebration. Go out and buy a new piece of sports equipment, a new briefcase, or a pricey gadget that you really want. It doesn't matter what you do or buy, but take the time and make the effort to celebrate your success. You have undergone a rigorous and at times demoralizing process-and you emerged triumphant.
After you have successfully found your new job, show your family your appreciation for their moral support and cooperation during the job search. If you have the money and time for a family vacation, you may want to schedule one. In a study we conducted, the majority of health care professionals named time with family as a valued way to spend their free time. The same study suggests that health care professionals view vacation as a favored free-time activity. If you cannot take the time to go right now, start planning an extra-special trip for the whole family later.
