Transition Series Part 1

Seeing as I am transitioning into a position within my company, I figured it was a good time to outline a transition framework. These frameworks and guidelines are drawn largely (if not all) from the book by Michael Watkins, The First 90 Days.

The Transition Series will look like this:

Part #1 - Don't Get Stuck In Your Old Job and Learn Fast
Part #2 - Which Strategy Is the Right Strategy?
Part #3 - Secure (and find) Early Wins
Part #4 - Negotiate Success (with your boss)
Part #5 - Achieve Alignment and Build Your Team
Part #6 - Make the Right Friends
Part #7 - Keep Your Balance (and help others)

Seven parts for seven days till I make the transition.

Part #1 - Promote Yourself and Accelerate Your Learning

A major goal in making a good transition is letting go of your previous job. It may have been a great experience or a bad experience, but what is most important is that you let go of it, mentally if not physically. Being stuck in your old role will not allow you to address the skills and focus that your new role requires.

The major goal of promoting yourself is to allow your mind to focus on the new role. We all know what it is like to enter into a relationship with someone who is still in love with an ex. It works the same for jobs.

Ask yourself:

• What has made you successful so far? Are these strengths sufficient for new job? If not, what skills do you need to develop?
• Does your new role require you to do things that in the past you haven't enjoyed doing? What is your plan for overcoming this obstacle?
• How will you mentally prepare for entering your new job and leaving your old one?

Accelerate your learning by developing a structured learning plan. The three main areas that you must focus on are as follows: Technical, Cultural and Political Knowledge. Use actionable insights as a way to speed up your learning. Develop these insights through a specific (tailored to your situation) set of questions that are standard across those whom you ask. Failure to understand any one of the three can lead to your changes meeting forceful resistance. All situations are complex, the more dimensions/angles you are able to study your particular one from, the more you will understand it.