I just stumbled upon this blog entry and the first thought that came to my mind was ‘I wish I would have read it 90 days ago’..
I started working for a new place just about 3 months ago as a software group leader. I kind of knew I’m going to make mistakes and, not surprisingly, I did. The toolbox of an engineering manager, as I see it, is the sum of all his experiences in the past (both technically and personally), and although a lesson learned from a personal experience is invaluable, the ‘tuition fee’ in these cases can be very high. So learning from other people’s experience is usually a much cheaper alternative – but you have to learn to watch, listen and actually learn.
Read that blog entry..
I thought I’d contribute one of my personal observations:
* When you’re joining a new team (especially as a manager), you’re not the only one trying to find his place and show his worth. Many of the team members will ‘overcompensate’ in the first period for various reasons – either they see this change as an opportunity or a threat. Take this into consideration, and take the first impression with a grain of salt. Revisit your impressions after you’ve settled in, and at least from my experience, there are surprises (for the better and worse).