8 Tips to Gel in A New Team

8 Tips to Gel in A New Team We all fear transition of any kind. Whenever we face change, there is a fear that kicks in that we might fail.A typical example is transitioning from one role to the other. It can be a stressful transition getting into a new team and becoming successful.evalSometimes, the lack of professional skills makes it difficult to adapt to that change successfully. At other times, we do not possess the soft skills or knowledge to adjust.When joining a new team, you have to overcome your fears of falling short of expectations. You need to start with a positive mindset to become an irreplaceable part of the new team.Let’s get to the essentials of successfully transitioning into a new team.1. Understand Your Role evalBefore anything else, you need to understand your role in the team. Identify the values that you are expected to bring along. If you have any questions, ask upfront to avoid unpleasant surprises. Take the guesswork out of the team.Sometimes, job titles fail to communicate your job description efficiently. Therefore, go beyond the usual job description and focus on your role.Ask yourself, what difference can you make to the team? Identify the areas where you can use your strengths. It is always a matter of understanding and delivering as per the aspirations of your organization.2. Take Time to SettleevalDo not judge other team members to avoid a stereotypical approach. Avoid knee-jerk reactions to any new and potentially challenging situations.Take time to settle into your new job role. Always consider how each member of the team is contributing towards the end goal.If you are unable to understand something, ask others for help. It may take you some time to understand and create a big picture of what your new team intends to accomplish.3. Team Dynamics Every person has their particular role to fulfill. Therefore, you have to understand what they are supposed to do precisely. If you fail to associate a specific set of duties to a particular member, it will make things difficult for you. It may lead you to set false expectations from other team members.evalIf you are unclear about the role of a particular team member, you must ask. Clarity is integral to an efficiently functioning team where everyone knows the role they have to play.Instead of relying on instincts ask around when trying to bring significant change. Comprehend how a new change will impact the team’s performance. A high performing team always considers the pros and cons of introducing a new move.4. Respect Other Team Members When you are starting fresh in a role, make sure to take this time to develop a relationship of respect. Exercise your networking skills during the initial work weeks.Whenever an opportunity arises, clearly introduce yourself and the role you are assigned to play. Do not wait for someone to introduce you to the rest of the members.If you are assigned a role that replaces someone, you have to understand the expectations. Try to determine the expectation s of the position that you need to deliver. If you are given a management role, take time to acquaint yourself with the junior as well as the senior members.5. Avoid Knee-Jerk Reactions evalOne of the most critical points to remember in a team environment is going with the flow. If you find something upsetting, never let that disturb the work processes. Every team has appropriate reporting forms, use them.Always remember that it is essential to see the ideas that people present and not the individuals. You can criticize the idea if you find something wrong with it but never indulge in a personal attack.Knee-jerk reactions to any event taking place in the team will look bad on you. Therefore, always take the time to react to a situation. If you do not understand how to respond, you can ask your supervisor or senior about it.evalSometimes, the wrong reaction to an event can result in jeopardizing the team environment. Always think of the consequences of a sudden backlash before you re act to something.6. Build Rapport with Your Superiors It is essential to understand that your boss has to evaluate your performance. Always find the time to arrange meetings with your senior to assess and improve your performance.If you do not have a clear job description or list of expectations, try to find them right away. Do not wait for your manager to provide you with a set of instructions.Communication with your boss is critical. Your boss will not be able to find how you feel about a situation. Therefore, take time to express in a professional way how you think about anything.Ask for feedback to improve yourself and know if you need to perform any extra tasks. Also, do not take every problem to your boss that you can solve yourself.eval7. Positivity and Lasting Relationships A positive mindset with a light sense of humor can always help ease critical situations. Everyone likes a smiling face that looks at each problem with a positive mindset.Similarly, a team can go through d ifferent phases of pessimism when it is not able to achieve specific targets. However, when you look at things positively, it will give a contagious positive energy to every member of the team.You do not have to become different to exhibit a positive mindset. All you need to do is face the problems with optimism. Instead of just pointing towards difficulties try to come up with solutions. Everyone loves to go to that person who brings solutions to the issues.8. Receiving and Sharing Feedback Every team has its challenges to surmount. However, we do not always get positive feedback on what we are trying to do. Therefore, when you receive feedback, take it in a positive manner and improve on things that need betterment. You can only grow when you consider the feedback with a positive mindset.Also, it is important to give feedback neutrally. You are not pointing towards the person but the problem that has to be solved. Communicate the input constructively so that the person receiving i t looks at it as a way to improve themselves.