Joining an established team, building for the future
Joining an established team is very difficult. In most cases,
team building happens with little intervention - the new team
member is be welcomed and given time to bond, however in some
cases the new team member will join a team with issues and
where, regardless of the effort they make, they are unwelcome.
Consider the following when joining an established team.
Listen more than you talk - It is particularly important when
you join a new team. Entering as a know-it-all, set in your ways
will not endear you to existing team members. This holds true no
matter where you are - from the US, Australia or the UK.
Team building will not be helped if you think you are better
than everyone else.
Listen & learn from other team members - what they do, what sort
of characters they are. Remember, people resist change, don't
tell them you know how to do things better than they do. Listen,
you may even learn a better way.
Avoid sentimentality - keep references to the team you have just
worked with to the factual. Your new team will not want to
listen to your recollections of what a great group of people you
worked with. Occasionally make positive observations about this
team, don't overdoing it.
Give respect to earn respect - even if you are joining the team
at a senior level you cannot expect to automatically be given
respect. The importance of earning respect rather than demanding
it has been well documented already, but if you take time to
listen, learn about other team members and understand why they
fill the role they do in the team you will learn to respect
them.
Don't be patronising - under any circumstances. Take time to
understand how your new team work. You may be surprised to find
their way is better!.
Keep your promises, be reliable. - Don't take responsibility for
anything beyond you in the hope it will endear you to the team.
Building rapport with other member is hard enough without
overloading them with stress as a result.
Be a team player - if you feel insecure or unsure it can be
tempting to work alone. Avoid this at all costs. Make sure you
stay in the team by asking for help if necessary.
Keep lines of communication open - It is okay to admit you're
new and need support. Often people feel asking for help is a
sign of weakness. Actually it can be one of the best ways of
team building. You should avoid always approaching one person
because they look friendly. Approach the person you consider
most difficult first, the experience is often ground breaking.
Don't argue - just don't. Bite your lip; your time will come.
Arguing when you are the new team member is a no win
proposition. If you lose you undermine yourself and if you win
you will have destroyed a relationship, hard to rebuild.
In the majority of cases your new team will welcome you and make
every effort to help you. They will want it to work as much as
you. Listen, understand what you don't say will be as important
as what you do say, be sincere and be yourself.
Team building takes time, team building takes patience, team
building will not happen overnight.