Half a Year in... What I've Learned
In some ways, it feels like i just began my new role at Nasdaq. In others, I feel like it’s been much longer. That’s the nature of joining a fast-paced environment that’s markedly different than the one you spent years in previously.
Going from journalism to finance was an intentional leap. I asked for (and received!) a challenge. In the first weeks, I felt like my brain couldn’t expand fast enough, that I was drowning in new information and processes. It was in conversation with others who had recently taken new roles that I was told it typically takes six months to adjust to a new work environment. Accepting this made all the difference as I showed up to work every day, reading to continue learning and embracing the sense of discomfort that comes with the unknown. Now that I’ve hit that milestone, I look back at myself in the early days and am grateful for how far I’ve come — while still acknowledging I have much farther to go.
“Treat your career as a marathon, not a sprint.”
Ultimately, adjusting to a new role is about allowing yourself to listen and learn above all. My most essential lessons could be applied to any new scenario — I hope I remember them someday when I find myself in a new role again.
Listen First, Learn Always — It’s easy to come into a new environment and want to begin acting. It’s much harder to stop and listen, allowing the past to inform your future while you sit still in the present.
Efficiency Matters — Each work environment enacts different tools and structures, some more comfortable than others. I spent a lot of time missing workflows that I had grown familiar with. But ultimately, that slowed my ability to become efficient using the tools I do have access to. When I let go of 'what if we had x, y or x,’ I became more strategic with my time and effort.
Let Change Speak for Itself — Much of my new role has involved significant changes to the way things have been done, or a shock to the status quo. Initially, as I worked on bringing about change, I followed each step forward with a half step backward while I tried to create a sense of comfort in over-explaining why we were making changes. But when I asked stakeholders to instead look to results, no further explanation was necessary. Good work requires trust in all involved.
Be Patient — Something that has been a challenge for me my whole life continues to be a lesson. Companies behave a certain way for a reason. There are so many levels that live below the surface yet matter just as much as the visible work. Embrace the push and pull of a collaborative working environment with the understanding that good things often take time.
Above all: embrace mindfulness in your day-to-day. That’s my goal as I embark on the second half of my first year.