Together is better

Measuring up to expectations and finding ways to turn them into actions.

This week, I attempted to replicate the experience I had with my director by asking the same questions to the rest of the team, this time together. The purpose was to get a quick feel for the room, stir things up a bit, and see how they would react to this type of moment. I chose to do it as a group so that the more confident individuals could encourage the rest of the group to open up and discuss, thus avoiding a possible intimidating request. This was helpful because it allowed me to demonstrate my intentions for these moments of discussion and feedback, making it easier to do it again in the future, not only as a group but also in structured one-on-ones.

I enjoyed being present in that moment, and I wish I had more time. However, I am confident that I will have plenty of time to learn a lot from these relationships and provide as much value as I can. This is currently my greatest motivation.

My first request was for any feedback the team could provide. Although they may not have been extremely brave or candid, thanks to the power of the group, the discussion flowed. The feedback was mostly positive, regarding humanity and kindness, the confidence that they felt from the beginning, and my ability to bring a very rational approach and technical competencies to the table. It's always nice to hear good feedback, but the discussion around the chemistry of the group exposed a subtle tone of concern as little comparisons with the previous and current situation began to leak out here and there. That was the perfect hook for my second question.

Do you have any expectations about me and my role here?

What can I do for you?

Once again, I experienced the power of giving an opportunity and making myself available. A lot of different topics came up one after the other in this short time, such as creating more boundaries with clients and investing time in more interesting projects, having freedom and taking responsibilities, having their talents and competencies recognised, avoiding a strong hierarchy in the group, and preferably not having me "bossing around" and creating bottlenecks in the workflow with micromanagement.

On one hand, I was happy because their expectations strongly align with my intentions and resolutions, and somehow match the expectations of our creative director as well. At least I don't see any contradiction, and I can start to build my sweet spot in the middle as a senior contributor.

On the other hand, I now feel the pressure of so many expectations and the responsibility to deliver change for the group. I feel the need and urge to act concretely, even though it means exposing myself to risks and conflicts during the process. A part of me is trying to get defensive and starts to search for excuses, waiting for the right moment to act. This makes me feel super uncomfortable; these are probably the situations for which I'm not feeling ready, yet.

Takeaway

I feel the need for a plan of action. I need to break changes into small steps and manageable chunks. Most of all, as I want to keep a listening, non-invasive approach to my role, I want to plan first of all the right interactions so that I can influence, engage, include, and involve the people around me in these changes. I surely have (and want) to be accountable, but I guess it doesn't mean it has to be a solo effort. I can ask for help, create situations to get other people's support, and transform them into sponsors of the initiatives that stem from their own expectations. I'd like to cite the cover of Together is Better, the book that is inspiring so much of my attitude in this experience and was gifted to me by my beloved mentor, that in the Italian edition I own quotes:

Only the brave dare to ask for help,

only those who own a heart do not fear to give it.

Weekly retrospective

Thanks for reading and see you next week!
Tobia