When we merge cultures—be it two large corporations, two small departments combining, or even a physical move to a shared workspace with a new group of people—there are common fears as well as opportunities. The fears are natural. Will I be accepted? Will I feel confident with changes to what work I do, who I do that work with, the way I work? Will I be successful in the new environment? How can I get past being uncomfortable, when I am quite comfortable where I am currently? Even the practical day-to-day changes can feel stressful: how will my commute or hours change, where will I park, and where can I eat lunch?
As we address our fears one by one, it helps to remind ourselves to see the opportunities that are there. When we join with others in new ways, it is an opportunity to expand our connections, and connection is what gives us influence as leaders. Get off on the right foot by thinking about building those new relationships proactively in these simple yet powerful ways.
Say hello and introduce yourself first. Don’t wait for others to make the first move to make you feel welcome. Be the welcomer. Learn names of the new faces you will be interacting with and say those names.
Offer to job shadow. Show the new colleagues that you are interested in understanding what they do so that as you go forward, you will stay aware of how your work intersects with theirs. Even a one-hour job shadow can open our eyes to what others’ work entails. If a job shadow is not an option, have a couple of questions ready as you meet people such as, “What is the thing you like best about the work you do?” or “What is one of the biggest challenges you face in the work that you do?” You can learn a lot about how to prevent silos when you have empathy. Invite them to shadow your work as well.
Bring food. Potlucks always seem to work. Make them special by finding out the favorite foods of the new people you’ll be working with and bring those foods to the potluck gathering.
Get to know people before duties. Find some way to incorporate simple icebreakers so that people share a little bit about who they are when you first meet, not just what they do. Contact us for ideas!
Offer support. Ask, “How can I best support you in your work?” Rather than worry about if we will be supported, go first in the offering and set the stage for working well together.
Ask for what you need. People want to be helpful, but they don’t automatically know what you need. When we don’t ask, we set up being disappointed when others don’t figure it out on their own and we don’t get what we need.
Be the light. Manage up your colleagues and quickly find ways to manage up the new people you meet as they help you with things. Start right out of the gate to build the reputation that you are someone who notices people getting it right and appreciates colleagues for what they bring to the mix.
Don’t complain. We all have legit complaints. But really, what good is simply complaining? Earn a reputation as a problem solver instead of a complainer by bringing specific problems to the table coupled with solution suggestions. Be open to trying other’s solutions and give them your best effort, even if you might not agree at first. You never know – they might work. And if they don’t, you’ll be in a much better position to offer an alternative approach if you really did give their idea an honest go.
Communicate clearly. Watch your acronyms. Ask for a “tip sheet” from the new colleagues about their most commonly used terms that might trip you up. Use reflective listening – the best possible way to make someone feel heard and respected, e.g., “This is what I understood from what you said…do I have it right?” Don’t be afraid to ask questions if something is not clear.
Have a lead “joining” team. Select reps from each of the new groups to lead the way to a successfully merged culture. This team could be assigned to organizing some of the above. They could also pose “rounding” questions, where team A reps go to team B to check in on, “What is one thing that is making this newly merged team feel connected, and what is one thing we could improve to make it feel more so?”
The good news is, most of our fears do not come true and most of the stretches change asks of us help us to grow into even better leaders.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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In Jo Anne's current role as Organizational and Workforce Development Senior Manager at the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative (RWHC) her aim is to offer to leaders straightforward tools and inspire the courage to use them. |
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Lead the Way in Five Minutes A Day: Sparking High Performance in Yourself and Your Team, by Jo Anne Preston is currently available for purchase.
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