source: Technabob.com
Being able to adjust to life’s twists and turns is about more than just going with the flow. And it is not just about having contingency plans. I’m all about flow, but sometimes you just need to know when to calibrate. You need to know when to check in with others to see if you’re meeting each other’s expectations.
Today I took a very early morning spin class with a new instructor and it took me 15 minutes to realize that her range of easy, harder, getting tough and gut buster was a four-point scale. The last teacher I had used a full ten-point scale. So this morning, when the instructor said four, she really meant ten.
The same holds true when you start a new job, start working with a new manager or take on a new client. Take the time to understand the expectations and needs of your business relationship. Don’t just discuss or set expectations at the beginning of the relationship or at the time of a formal review. Take the time to periodically check in, recalibrate when needed and you’ll see a lot more success and fewer headaches.
2 responses so far ↓
Dave Friedel // February 24, 2009 at 4:09 pm
This is one of the hardest things for me. I start a new job and I want to immediately impose all the vision I had pent up from the prior job (which I may have left because of being thwarted).
I don’t do it to other people. I give new hires a lot of time to acclimate. But myself, I give none. Interesting to read this and think about how to improve that and reduce the stress of change.
sarahmontague // February 24, 2009 at 6:26 pm
Thanks, Dave. We are hard on ourselves and sometimes impatient when we start a new job. I think one of the keys is to keep up the energy but not lose the enthusiasm as you get up-to-speed and acclimated.