Tips for new hires

There is critical knowledge to be imparted to new employees to make them productive from Day 1. This learning has nothing (or almost nothing) to do with bathroom location or how to get IT help for a smoking computer.

Here is a great list devised by Michael Watkins, Chairman of Genesis Advisers and author of The First 90 Days and Your Next Move.

• Business Orientation. Company values, customers and how work gets done.
  
• Expectations Alignment. How performance will be evaluated.
  
• Political Connection. Who has the juice, and why?
  
• Cultural Adaptation. Is it OK to be a few minutes late to a meeting? Are PowerPoints considered crucial to meeting success?
  
  

Interestingly, Watkins says lack of cultural adaptation is the one that most often trips up new managers. It’s also the most difficult to teach because we are not reflective ourselves about the business culture we live in. Click here to read the full article.