Joining a new company is a quest of sorts.
Even if you are working with former colleagues, it’s a new setting and (hopefully) set of opportunities to do great things. There will be new personalities, ways of doing business, and interactions with peers and customers.
In today’s environment, gamification has become the new normal of audience and employee motivation. Video game “stars” such as Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 (from the HALO franchise) earn more than $220,000,000 in a weekend. Gaming in its earliest forms began in the late 80’s when online games were limited to text and character-based screens. Simple and only lightly networked by today’s standards, a sort of anthropological work was created by Richard Bartle. He wrote an article entitled "Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds, Spades: Players Who Suit MUDS” (Multi-User Dungeons). The work described four types of game players. Summarized here as:
Achievers - Players who regard reward-gathering and rising levels as their primary goal. Everything else is a means to this end.
Explorers - Delight in having the game expose its internal workings to them. They try progressively and gradually to push the envelope in the lesser-known places, looking for exciting features and figuring out how everything works.
Killers – Enjoy imposing themselves on others. Much more commonly, audience members may “attack” others for the personal gratification of demonstrating game superiority. The more massive the upheaval caused, the greater the killer's joy at having caused it.
Socializers - are the ultimate people person. They are interested in others and what they have to say. The game is merely a random environment, a common ground where things happen to players. Relationships, sympathizing, and having discussions are of the highest interest. The social aspects are more important than the progress of the game.
Your #First90 days at a new company aren’t like starting a new level in a game. However, many people often feel they need to play a specific “role” when they first enter a new workplace. That role is often not genuine or authentic to who they are, what their peers are interested in seeing, and most importantly, what serves the company's greater good.
The game player personality types outlined may, and probably all, be friendly, well-meaning individuals. Yet often, people often get de-sensitized by the newness of the experience. People put themselves in a role that puts them at odds with others. Here are four framework questions used to help shape your first 90 days.
(Uncover) How do others see me?
Projecting you as one of the four categories gives certain broad reactions. Each has admirable traits, and as you see yourself, you may decide to cherry-pick a few behaviors.
The Achiever type is concerned with immediate reaction to their rank in the company. They may do something of great benefit (close a first sale, address some long-standing internal issue), but it's at the cost of building relationships or an internal ecosystem.
Killers tend to pull out their credentials and history at every opportunity (youngest CFO to get to a billion dollars). It's done without malice aforethought; highly skilled technical people often fall into this category. They were brought in because of their deep and/or vast expertise. Yet because they can be so single-minded, they often sabotage themselves and perhaps the company.
Socializers want to be liked and known. They overly focus on building relationships to the downfall of their and others' productivity.
Explorers are the category that will tend to have the most success. They tend to be methodical, slowly nurturing and building relationships from within. They study the corporate culture (with startups, it's the founder's Personalities).
(Examine) How do I map out the first 90 days?
As a guideline, you may want to follow the rule of three. Rule of Three: The Business of Keeping It Simple
Keep it simple. Even with the most complex roles, break it down to basic points. Spend time reiterating what you've learned and understood. Explore and understand how people in this ecosystem build relationships and connections.
People want to be entertained. It's always more enjoyable to be around nice and easily understood people. Share genuine, authentic, and relevant experiences and stories from your past. Encourage others to share the same.
Brand matters. If you are known for being a top tattoo artist for well-known celebrities, there's nothing wrong in this setting with having a larger personality and showing off your ink. It's authentic and part of why you were brought in. Explore how you complement the company's brand. If, in the first 90 days, you too often find yourself at odds with it, talk it through with your boss.
(Prepare) How do I make us all successful?
Part of being an Explorer is learning to use the things you gather along the way. You came into the company with skills, outside relationships, and some idea of what you'd be doing for the company. These should all match what you find in your initial exploration. If not, be prepared to have a conversation that can do something about it.
Ideally, your first quest, err, project enables you to grow while closing some vital piece of business. Even if it's small, you never know when your connections or accomplishments might be useful in the future.
Take some extra time to answer and plan out what you're going to need.
- Do you have the resources?
- Does the company?
- Is there alignment and mutual agreement between all involved on the first project
- Is the company good at what you're trying to achieve, or is this a new effort?
Take extra time for these first few questions, as you are in new territory and may still be learning. If you cannot sufficiently or satisfactorily answer these questions, don't keep it to yourself. Talk it out. Your success is good for others.
(Satisfy) Where do you go from here?
Ninety days is enough time for you to have learned and contributed a good deal. Be generous with thanks and gracious in accepting well-placed criticisms. Especially in hyper-growth companies, you may now be the "long-timer" and will have the opportunity to share with others. #WorkplaceBonds
