'Relish' the Opportunities with Onboarding

I wrapped up a year-long tour as a Hotdogger with the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile 20 years ago, and I'm sharing 20 lessons I learned through that experience that have served me well across the last two decades.

I last wrote about getting the job , and after graduating from Emory University - Goizueta Business School business school, I was off to the real world.? My next piece of advance: Take advantage of your onboarding.?

The Wienermobile onboarding did include some more non-traditional elements, from media training to days spent in empty parking lots learning to maneuver the 27-foot-long vehicle, but the themes from that onboarding have served me well.? In 20+ years, this was the role that had the most formalized onboarding with our two-week long Hot Dog High, but it was also the job I've had with the most autonomy.??After two weeks I flew to Florida to kick off our event tour in the Southeast and went months before seeing my boss in person again.

1. Self-study -- I was mailed a communications guide with puns that the Hotdogger team is famous for and An Idiot's Guide to Auto Repair.? My supervisor had personally highlighted key sections in the 12 different copies, as it was 2003.? I've yet to start a role or hire a new employee where there wasn't content shared in the beginning, and these days there are more sophisticated digital ways of sharing insights.? I always was a sponge and filed away content for reference later, but I have been surprise when employees don't take advantage of curated material. (Leaders don't waste time highlighting documents or sending material to be ignored).? At a minimum, leveraging what's handed to you shows respect and eagerness to succeed.? At best, it gives you a jump start about avoidable mistakes.? ?
2. Ask about what the best-of-the-best do -- colleagues at all levels can usually rattle off what best practices are and what their most beloved colleagues do well.? It may be asking based on skillset ("Who is the best at media pitching and what's worked for them?" "Which teams were known for hosting the most fun events?") or identifying general themes ("Is there anything in common about the top sales performers last year?") The compressed in person time at Hot Dog High made me want a crash course in how to succeed, but I've applied that hungry attitude toward onboarding in all roles.
3. Ask what NOT to do -- I've found it's actually easier to have people tell you what mistakes to avoid than unpack what it is to succeed.? Sometimes the horror stories are comforting, if the errors are egregious.? Some hotdoggers from the year prior told an amusing, but intimidating story, of getting pulled over at the Pentagon , and the lesson was clear: Follow posted street signs clearly. As I've asked this during other onboarding experiences, often times there are nuggets of tactical advice around stylistic choices with certain leaders or hard-learned lessons of missteps where recovery is hard.?? I've changed roles to manage new teams more than a dozen times in about as many years, and this approach has been invaluable.? It also signals a willingness to do better than my predecessors and to ensure my team is meeting the standards of the business, which may or may align with what they think -- and this was particularly true when I managed sales teams.? Strong performers often created headaches that peers in the business felt they needed to tolerate because one had ever stepped in and gently pushed for adherence to business practices that made everyone better.? ?
4. Build a network for the future -- the majority of people I encounter want to be helpful and informative.? When you're new, you get lots of open-ended offers to help.? With the Wienermobile, I was religious about capturing contract information and circling back if we were in a market again.? It was easy to be memorable then, and an e-mail or call months later made the recipient feel thought of and valued.? Across the last decade, I have tried to find ways quickly to build connection points - and it does require more intentionality as a telecommuter.? If someone's a new peer, I'll send a chat or spread out questions in early days to divert questions that don't need to go to my boss.? If someone's more senior and part of the meet-and-greet tour but without as much direct contact in my regular job, I'll sometimes just ask outright for time in the future and schedule it.? ("I can tell I'll have more questions with a few weeks under my feet - do you mind if I get more time in 30 days?")? People also love talking about cultural advice - so I may ask to meet with someone who also joined in the last 6 months or is a working mother - and they always say yes.? And if my head's spinning and I'm not that organized in early days of a new role, I don't let myself get intimidated if time passes.? "When I started you mentioned I could reach out - and I've done great for the last six months but now would love some mentorship about _______."? I've never had anyone refuse 'mentorship' when I've asked. ?
5. Let your behavior represent your work style and standards -- During Hot Dog high there were small ways (like showing up early) and larger ways (taking good notes, following directions, and asking good questions) to demonstrate strengths. 21 years ago I used that two week period to build confidence with my supervisors. With more traditional roles, those opportunities are always there but may need to be sought out. I'm organized, proactive, and agenda-oriented…so when I start a new role I model that.? If my new manager doesn't set goals for me, I outline what I think a first-100-days plan is and gut check it with him or her.? I'll always send agendas to my clients and follow up notes, so I do that internally for all my early meetings even if it isn't culturally the norm.? I think ten steps ahead, and I highlight that with how I upward manage about things on the horizon or parking lot items for future sessions.? When you're new, your supervisor(s) probably have the most visibility into your work they will have; show them what you'll do when they aren't looking over your shoulder.