Building Relationships in Your First 90 Days at a New Job

The Importance of Relationships in Your Career

• 🎯 Results and relationships are equally crucial for long-term career success; neglecting relationships can hinder future growth.
• 💡 While some may be uncomfortable initiating conversations, pushing past this discomfort is essential for career advancement.
• 🚀 In the first 90 days, prioritizing relationship building is more critical than solely focusing on immediate results, as burning bridges can lead to a lack of support later.

Strategies for Building Rapport

• 💬 The simplest way to start is to just ask questions about family, company history, expertise, and behavioral patterns.
• 🤝 When asking questions, maintain a natural and curious tone rather than an interrogative one to foster positive interactions.
• ✍️ Write down what you learn about people to remember details, as information overload is common and memory can be fallible.

Navigating Workplace Conversations

• ❓ Asking questions is not a sign of weakness, especially when new; it's a way to gather necessary information and show engagement.
• ☕ Informal meetings, like offering to buy a colleague a coffee, can be effective for getting to know them and their role.
• 🤝 Observe how colleagues interact, who supports whom, and who they socialize with to understand the unwritten connections within the organization.

Key Areas for Inquiry

• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Inquiring about family is important as it's often the most significant aspect of a person's life, and showing interest strengthens bonds.
• 🏢 Understanding company history, including previous roles and bosses, provides context about an individual's professional journey.
• 💡 Asking about expertise or who to talk to about a specific topic can reveal subject matter experts and foster collaboration.
• 🎭 Observing behavioral patterns and understanding how individuals approach tasks or interact with others can inform your own interactions.

Remembering and Applying Information

• 📝 It's crucial to write down names and details about people, even if it means being slightly late to a meeting, to ensure accuracy.
• 🌟 Even if you forget names or details, admitting it and asking again with confidence is better than avoiding the topic and can help you remember.
• ✅ Developing strong relationships and keeping your resume current are vital for navigating stressful periods, like economic downturns, more effectively.