You have found yourself a new job or been promoted into a new team. You’ve done the hardest part, but integrating yourself into a new team can be a tricky task. It's easy to get wrapped up in the idea that you’re the outsider or that you don’t belong in the team. Here are a few steps you can take to integrate yourself into a new team.
The easiest and most subtle way to become an integral part of a new team is to contribute in group discussions. By doing this you will build familiarity and shared ground. This is how you will start carving out your identity within the group. Engaging in group discussions also allows you to understand the team’s dynamic and the varying personalities. Naturally it's not an easy thing to do; it might take some time, but the more you’re around this new team, the more you’ll get used to the different personalities.
Always take an interest in your team. One way you can do this is to ask as many questions as you can. Let your teammates is talk about themselves, their hobbies and the things that they’re interested in. This is the best way to begin integrating yourself into the team. Getting to know new things about people you’ve just met is how you can begin to build key relationships within the business. You will find commonalities that you and your teammates have with one another.
Being great at your job will naturally attract people to you. This is because showing that you’re a capable employee will mean that people will see that they can depend on you to get work done. This will get you an unspoken new level of respect amongst your teammates. This is a phenomenal way of building relationships, as hard work always speaks for itself. Plus, if you make your teammates' job easier, they’re going to like you. Picking up a task for them or helping them achieve a certain goal can be a faster way of becoming a valued part of the group. It can also be an opportunity to get to know individual members of your team better within the working day. Working together to achieve a shared goal is amazing for group morale and building relationships, so make sure you put yourself out there when the opportunities come up.
Say yes to social events. This is a great way to get accustomed to the dynamics of the group quickly, primarily because you're outside of the work setting, so your interactions are likely to be more informal. When you are at the office, you must maintain professional, but when you take people out of that setting, expectations get relaxed making is easier to socialise with your teammates.
There’s no better way to become a valued member of the group than being the true and genuine version of yourself. Work relationships can be a hard thing to manage. Everyone wants to feel considered and included within the work group dynamic. When you are being yourself, you radiate self-assured confidence.