Switching Industries - My First Four Weeks...

I’m a fan of sharing experience in the hope that it might help someone else starting a new role. Having just moved from being a general manager of a retail and leisure complex to a revenue development director role at the UK’s biggest venue management company, the NEC Group, I’ve been reflecting on my first few weeks.

Be prepared but be aware you won’t be…

I did a lot of reading before I started my new role. History, structure, background, press coverage, so I thought I was well prepared for the first day. I wasn’t. No matter how well you think you know an organisation from the outside, being on the inside is going to be very different so throw away your assumptions and start from the basics when on site.

Don’t be too worried about making a big-bang entrance…

When you start a new role, you want to make impress everyone you meet.  This is only natural, especially for me as I am enthusiastic by nature. I had some great advice from my new MD - don’t worry about taking time to settle and learn before jumping and doing. Sometimes you need to take a step back and look at the whole engine as it will probably just need tweaks rather than being taken apart and built again from scratch.

There may be nervousness around your role…

Starting in a new company in a brand-new role can be nerve wracking, but it’s easy to forget that your colleagues may be nervous about you starting as well. People will want to understand how your new role may impact them and this can be very easy to forget in your own circle of concerns.

Question don’t assume…

Never assume you know the depths of organisation in a couple of weeks. Asking questions is healthy and necessary, but don’t assume you know the intricacies of issues better than they do. The first few weeks are about building trust and understanding how every department fits together.

There’s nothing wrong with making a few quick wins but bigger changes will need thought and agreement.

Avoid the categorical…

When you start in a new business you bring with you experience from other roles. Don’t assume everything you have learnt previously will be an exact fit for the new company. Don’t be afraid to challenge, but make sure you understand what you are challenging first!

Be genuine…

Know your own strengths and weaknesses. I’m aware I can be guilty of making sweeping statements so sometimes I must remind myself to pause and rationalise my thoughts. Take a look at your psychological make-up. Be prepared to acknowledge when your initial approach hasn’t landed as you expected and you’ll be surprised how generous people can be.

Try and enjoy your honeymoon period

Remember you were chosen because your new company decided you were the right person to do the job. Have faith in their decision. Accept this is a short episode where you’re allowed to be mostly listening rather than doing. You can ask silly questions and be less shy of looking stupid.  You’ll unearth some brilliant opportunities – you just don’t need to act on them all immediately. You’re going to meet a lot of new people and it’s very unlikely to be boring. Good luck!