| First day in the new job…. |
|
| I’ve never been responsible for so much before. |
I wonder what the new boss will be like. |
| Better make a good impression or they’ll think they’ve made the wrong hiring decision. |
Better make a good impression or they’ll think I’m no good at my job. |
| Must look like I know what I’m doing and what I’m talking about. I’m meant to be in charge of all this. |
Must look like I know what I’m doing and what I’m talking about. I’m meant to be in charge of this department. |
| OK, let’s do this. |
OK, let’s do this. |
| [Step into the office, shoulders back, head up, eye contact, confidently greeting people] |
[Steps into the office, looking around]
Is he here yet? |
| [Conversations in flow – listening deeply] |
[Conversations in flow – speaking passionately] |
| Wow I’m learning loads. |
Wow I know more than I realised, and he seems to be really listening. This is going well! |
| I have so many questions. |
These questions are really getting me thinking. I love this! |
| These people really know their stuff. |
I feel like I know my stuff even better than I did before this conversation! |
| They seem so engaged with what they’re doing and keen to change things for the better. |
I love this job and this new boss seems great! |
| I’d better show that I know stuff too [adds knowledgeable stuff to conversation]. |
And he has insights to add. That’s so useful to have a new perspective. |
|
|
| A few months later….. |
|
| [Amount of knowledgeable stuff added to conversations grows….] |
[Amount of knowledgeable stuff added to conversations is dropping, confidence is dropping] |
| Hey, I’m doing great! Look at all this stuff I know now. |
I’m not sure I’m as good at this as I thought I was. |
| I can add so much to conversations. |
I don’t feel I can share anything he doesn’t already know. |
| I have so many ideas. I’m thriving on sharing them with everyone! |
I don’t know where to take this next. I can’t get a word in edgeways anyway. |
|
|
| 6 months later…. |
|
| I get all this now. |
I’ll wait to be told. |
| I’ve got a clear plan of what we need to do and how we’re going to get there. |
It’s always his opinion first so no point thinking first.
|
| Why is this person saying this again? We went over this already? |
If he’d only listen he’d hear what I’m really saying. He doesn’t get it. He doesn’t care what I have to say. |
| I asked for that last week. What are they doing? |
What’s the point, it won’t be exactly what he wants anyway. |
| I have this amazing idea – I’ll go and tell the people who need to make it happen. It must be done yesterday! |
Instructions received. Robotic task-completion mode engaged. |
| Nobody has anything to say around here. |
….. |
| I wish people would just get on and do instead of seeking permission from me! |
Given he knows it all I need to check this first or it’ll be wrong. |
| Why does nobody interact in our meetings or bring ideas?
It’s like they’ve all just disengaged. |
….. |
