After 21 years at one employer, I'm starting as a new program manager at a new company in a new industry. What advice can you give me? Saving Changes...
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Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Perform elicitation. It does mean take knowledge about the business context (you can use Porter Five Forces and PESTLE Analysis), the business domain (you can use Zachman Framework as a guide), Stakeholder needs and constraints and pains for other business in the domain (you can use SPIN selling). Saving Changes...
Be a sponge - soak up as much information as you can and start to connect the dots. Focus on identifying and building relationships with a broad base of stakeholders. And, of course, learn as much as you can about the business domain and the specific strategies of your new company.
Learn about your new company's organisation and environnement is your priority.
Don't change everything and right away. Wait for acquire a good experience and business knowledge in sufficient to do so at the right time. Saving Changes...
Anton OosthuizenSenior Business Analyst / Project Manager| Self EmployedPretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
Be open to the fact that you need to learn. Being in one industry for 2 decades makes you an industry SME (I hope;) ) and moving takes that status away. Make peace with this and start learning. The good news is that your PM skills remain intact no matter where you go. Saving Changes...
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
Good luck, Joshua,
my advice is
- understand why they hired you, why they really need you - it might not have been in the job ad
- get a mentor to reflect on your thinking while you change/learn
- have a 100 day schedule and targets
- learn by listening to people, more than reading policy
- have a daily morning exercise - running, yoga, meditation or similar
- have a diary, writing down stuff in front of people you listen to increases their feeling of being respected
I recently moved into a program management role within my org and there are a few things I’ve learned that I believe might be helpful:
- be inquisitive, and take in everything you can about the business and the industry.... however, right now you are in what I call a ‘grace period’ where you can question everything to better understand it. Likely, much of what your business or industry do today is because ‘that’s how we’ve always done it’. Use that to your advantage to help with process improvements (or identifying risks/opportunities) wherever you can.
- in partnership with the first point, find a few key experts you sync with and cultivate that relationship. There’s nothing more advantageous than having a sounding board, even when you have intimate knowledge of the subject matter.
- your experience and drive are what got you where you are. People may be resistant, especially to “the new guy”, but having meaningful dialogue with others and showing (not telling) why you are there will drive the biggest benefits and get folks on your side.
- try to identify your gaps. After 20 years in an industry, there are probably shortcuts you’ve taken along the way because they worked there and won’t work in your new environment. So taking time to discover yourself is as important as discovering your new world.
- most of all, enjoy it! These are exciting times, and a fresh start can really reinvigorate. Let yourself be excited and bervous and anxious and all of those things.
It’s a bit cliche - but Keep in mind what you’d want to see from a new program Manager has they come into your industry.... coles notes of all this: Consult, question, cultivate relationships and take the opportunities to help build your weaknesses and reinforce your strengths. :)
Best of luck in the new role, I’m positive you’ll do great! Saving Changes...
Pam InmonProject Management Consultant | Solopreneur | Freelancer| Agility PM Consulting LLCArlington, VA, United States
Congrats! First, focus on relationship building. Get to know your stakeholders (positive and negative ones). Find out what they are passionate about or may be struggling with. Be observant and build credibility.
Next, understand how things work in the new org. Leverage your experience to analyze the organization. Use your first 90 days to observe and learn what makes the organization tick.
Focus on leveraging your soft skills wherever possible. Look for ways to score small wins. Good luck. Saving Changes...
