No matter how great you are at doing your job, changing organizations means exactly that, changing. Whether you are making a change within the same industry or not is irrelevant to being a “Rock Star” from day one. Often employers say they want someone to come in and hit the ground running. We all want to believe that we can do just that because we are great at what we do. The reality is that we often hit the ground running in the wrong direction and then find ourselves in a fun (horror) house of mirrors and can’t find our way out.

It is a great practice to take at least three weeks, preferably a month or more, to truly observe your environment, the cultural dynamics, the processes and procedures and the people. Get to know them and how they work. This time spent is invaluable at creating lasting value for yourself with your new employer. “Seek first to understand rather than being understood.” The trust you build by building strong relationships will follow you throughout your career and set you on the path to being a “Rock Star” anywhere you go!