Feel like I'm drowning in new job....help

[Newjobstress]

Have NC as desperately trying to keep up appearances but feel like am drowning.

I've been in a new role in a new company for six weeks. The team I manage is mid size (20) and many varied workstreams under my management. On day two i learnt the company is not in a great place (financial ly sound) but issues with staff turnover, office politics, processes, risk management, you name it!). There is a lot of room for improvement in the long run. Hours are not great but again hope will improve. I took a big pay rise and what should be better prospects to come but I feel is too much. My boss is open that he shares same views but is also pushing to get well overdue things done quickly, which isn't possible overnight.

Any tips on how to survive and save my sanity and career much appreciated. Chance of switching roles very minimal as not too much about in market.

I think in a new job it is important to establish what the real priorities are. So that could be your managers priorities or somone higher up. I also think when managing people doing lots of different stuff you need to let go a little bit. You can't have oversight on everything.

Do you have clear goals and a work plan? If not I'd suggest meeting with your manager to establish these. Even if you have to work it out yourself from the headlines.

Thanks. Good advice re: priorities, although my boss seems to change these daily

The team is ok but need coaching and one to one time too. Am worried am spreading myself too thinly and nothing will get done!

Set yourself a plan and then get agreement from your manager. Lay out your goals for

• next 4 weeks
• 3 months
• 6 months
• 12 months.

Try to use the 'fix, focus, grow' model

So what are your quick fixes, what are big priority items but will take a little longer, what are your long term goals.

Be realistic, look at what tangible benefits and measures you can bring.

Example:

Fix - define key roles, responsibilities and objectifies for each person I manage
Focus - identify where their is overlap/duplication in roles, find efficiencies by cross training for cover and reducing/streamlining processes
Grow - full risk assessment by someone outside the immediate team, risk mitigation plan agreed by senior teams and any necessary training completed.

Once you have your plan set in regular reviews with your manager ensuring you are highlighting the benefits you are all gaining from the activity completed.

In terms of team morale/ office politics again you may need to go back to basics.

What are your company values, behaviours and vision. If this doesn't exist then engage your team in defining those and get them to buy into them. They performance manage based on those. Include in your monthly 1:1s examples of how they are or are not representing the values and demonstrating the behaviours.

Consistency is key, if you say you will do monthly 1:1s then do them.

I've no advice to add (advice above is great) but wanted to say that when I've had promotions, six weeks was the point where I sometimes would feel overwhelmed. So what your feeling isn't unusual. Remember to breathe too!

Snap !
I’m at week 6 and could have cheerfully jumped out of a window today 🙄🤷‍♀️

I agree with the advice above ...

I’m picking my absolute priorities first ...
I evaluate all the many tasks and think what are the consequences of this waiting for a week ?( or longer 😬)
If the business will not grind to a halt immediately it gets left 😀

Good luck 😉

Amazing advice

And supportive vibes to all those in similar situations.

Am having major wobbles (unlike me) and battling huge imposter syndrome but hoping can push through

Really appreciate replies

After the next meeting with your boss send an email setting out what you understand the priorities for the business/department are. Fix the planning around those.

If boss changes priorities email.. just confirming you now want me to prioritise Project A rather than project B. Therefore I will be ...

@Lwmommy that's a really helpful post. I'm going to adopt some of those ideas

Ok . I’ve been in a situation like this .

You know you can’t fix everything so

1. Find the quick wins ... these are the first few hopefully easier wins that will make your boss feel like you are doing a good job . They should align with the bosses priorities but be something you can achieve quickly . This will grow your confidence

1. Identify longer term priorities and assess who will be your allies in the organisation . Establish a working group / task force on those

1. Be very clear on what you think you can and can’t achieve immediately with your line manager . There is nothing worse than setting expectations too high , of you think you can’t achive all he asks manage his expectations. Then you will be less stressed

1. There will be things you can’t control , focus initially on the buts you know you can do something about . This will help you feel less stressed

I’m sure you’ll be brilliant . Tell you manager if you need any support and good luck

Following with interest as I start a new role soon and already very nervous about it all

Thanks so much, really helping me focus!

When you say you manage a team of 20, is that 20 people you directly line manage, or eg 5 people who each have teams of 3 under them?

Fix focus grow sounds a great model!

Glad it was helpful.

Fix, focus, grow works really well to engage the team, you also them get to delegate some activities and have people show what they are enthusiastic about.

Assemble a group, either all 20 (might be cumbersome) or the leads for the different areas.

Use big sheets of paper or windows and have loads of post it's.

Put up the titles 'fix, focus grow' on different sheets/ windows and get the team to identify first all of the problem areas, then stick those problems in the relevant area.

Use that to then build an action plan with dates, check ins, owners. Make sure you capture interdependencies so if bob can only fix his problem once Jane has fixed hers, Jane needs an earlier end date and the 2 of them need to communicate with each other (not through you).

A) problems identified by established experts in the team
B) you take the headlines as your objectives
C) they have the detail as their objectives for performance measurement/appraisals
D) you have a method of succession planning because they can bring in their other colleagues and be developing them to work on projects and take ownership. You'll see their strengths and weaknesses in priority setting, time management, delegation.....
E) hopefully it will aid communication throughout the team and give everyone something to work towards.