The New Guy's Guide to Building Trust

Computerworld - Whether you are starting a new job, taking on a new assignment or transferring to a different project, building trust is vital.

This became clear to me recently when I became the project manager on a supply and demand application implementation. Being the "newbie" came with the stresses of unfamiliar team members, new procedures and compliance requirements, preconceived notions and unknown pitfalls. I had joined the team based only on a couple of phone interviews and a vague description of the project. My first and most crucial challenge was to convince both upper management and my direct reports that I was trustworthy.

On this occasion, there already existed a certain level of trust, but that isn't always the case. Imagine if the first conversation with your new manager began with, "If it had been up to me, we never would have brought you in for this project." Or if your team lead said, "I was finally going to get to manage a project, but then they brought you in." It happens.

Thomas Cutting
Image Credit: Seth Joel

1. Know the players. The onslaught of names in a new location can be overwhelming. To add to the confusion, there are names that are gender-ambiguous. Having only exchanged e-mails with one individual for two weeks, I referred to him in a meeting as "she." Slightly embarrassing. But quickly learning to match names to faces helps put both you and others at ease, so make the effort to do it. If it's a large project with lots of new people, consider creating an online photo album to help with team building.

2. Confirm your role. Many projects cross multiple business and functional groups. Although I was brought in to oversee the entire effort, several other project managers were already in place. After a few meetings to clarify the playing field, we created a communication plan and presented it to the sponsor to document the roles and responsibilities of the key players. On this project, there were no oversized egos in the group, but the document becomes even more important if there are.

3. Identify preconceptions. In a new environment, there are always preconceptions of what a project manager should do. As a newbie, there are naturally some things you won't know. Don't be afraid to ask. If possible, find another project manager who has been through it to help you understand what's expected. Check for a documented development process, and review the roles and responsibilities. Procurement is a good example. Is it your responsibility to order and track hardware installation, or is there an infrastructure team to handle this? The lead time on obtaining hardware is unforgiving if you don't learn the answer to that question until it's too late.