Herman Ye

If you're about to take on a new role, congrats! You've made it through. Outshining the rest to come out on top. Celebrate, you earned it.  As your start date approaches, the descent from cloud nine begins and you're back down on earth (and maybe a tad nervous). It's showtime but where to start? We love ambition. Your bias for action is why you got hired. We want to hit the ground running and show our worth right away. However, rushing in and imposing yourself is a sure-fire way to become alienated. Burning bridges before they're raised.  Your experience and skills are invaluable, but to leverage them you need a strong foundation. Your first 30 days should be focused on building relationships and a knowledge base (learning all you can).  Work with your manager and get a list of folks to have 1-on-1s with. Identify the key stakeholders. Understand their background, their challenges, working style, and your relationship with them.  Learn as much as you can. Understand...

The alarm is ringing. A deadline is coming up. Or worse, has already passed. Gasp. We're out of time. We must act quickly and get things done, right? Not necessarily. 

I was painfully shy growing up. Unsure of my Myers Briggs, but will comfortably bet I live on the introvert end of the spectrum. In school, whenever a teacher would ask for volunteers, I would shrink, sit back and wait for others to jump in. "No big deal, someone else always answers the call." I was afraid to look bad. Getting an answer wrong, asking an obvious question. This was terrifying. I didn't want to be judged. Better to play it safe than risk the embarrassment, right? Funny thing is, I never thought less of anyone for being wrong. I always admired they had the courage to speak up. When done from a genuine place, folks will always welcome your voice. You're helping move the conversation forward. Playing a critical role. We stay quiet because we're afraid of maybe looking bad, but staying quiet pretty much guarantees you look bad. You appear uninterested, passive, afraid. The reverse is true when speaking up. It shows that you care and have the strength t...

Constructive feedback is an awkward affair. You don't want hurt feelings, but recognize the importance of honesty. You've tried the classic "hoping things will get better on its own" and unfortunately it hasn't played out. When giving feedback, here are a few things that I try to keep it mind. Start with empathy. Step into their shoes and understand their story. If you don't know, ask. Be genuinely curious. Feedback is a dynamic affair. Shared communication with a shared goal towards progress. Take the emotion out of it. Focus on the situation, not the person. Focusing on the person adds unnecessary weight to an already emotionally-bloated event.  Be specific. Give clear examples. Vague feedback equals dismissed feedback.  Doing above won't de-awkward things fully, but it will dampen it and increase the chance of better outcomes.