101: Maintaining leadership confidence in a new environment
Relocating for a promotion or new job opportunity can be both exciting and challenging. Uprooting your life to pursue managerial career goals in a new state or country requires careful planning and adaptability. Leading a new team in an unfamiliar environment presents a valuable opportunity for growth and learning.
Explore your new community. Before diving into your new role, it's important to feel comfortable in the place you'll be calling home. Getting personally adjusted to your new surroundings can make the professional transition much smoother. If possible, visit the area beforehand to explore the neighborhood. If an advance visit isn’t feasible, stay informed by following local news and blogs to gain insight into the community, recommends Jacquelyn Smith in an article for Forbes.
Earn the trust of your new team. In your previous role, you were well-established and familiar with your team. Now, as the new person on the scene, it's your responsibility to rebuild those relationships with a new group of colleagues. It can be humbling to shift from leader to learner as you adjust to a different environment. By intentionally investing time in your new team and showing genuine interest in who they are, you begin laying the groundwork for the trust essential to your collective success. “To do this, dedicate part of your first week to getting to know your direct reports by scheduling one-on-ones with each of them or taking them to lunch,” advises Brian O’Connell in an article for the Society for Human Resource Management.
Appreciate the cultural diversity of your team. Whether you've relocated to a new town, state, or country, every place has its own unique culture. These differences become even more pronounced when working internationally. As a manager, it's essential to take the time to understand the local customs, traditions, and workplace norms of your new environment. Doing so will greatly influence how effectively you lead your team. “Seeking commonality is important to a global work orientation because it draws colleagues from diverse cultures closer, which in turn translates to more effective collaboration and teamwork,” explains Tsedal Neeley in the Harvard Business Review.
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