What do you look for when you join an organisation? For some, it is a salary hike and a new designation. For others, it is about growth and opportunity. Yet others will look for flexibility, work timings, or perhaps the location. Once you get through the interviews, and are admitted into the company, you then try to fit into the new role, the culture of the organisation, and get into a routine. Which of all these things can make or break your success in an organisation?
I think it is two things. One, can you fit into the culture of the organisation? And two, it’s the match of all your skills, abilities, experience, and knowledge — with the JD (job description).
The first one, is up to you. You must adapt and fit into the culture of the organisation, regardless of your background or experience. The second one, is ascertained by HR and the people who interview you; the person(s) you report to.
Culture has been the number one thing on my list. I try to understand what the culture of an organisation is like — and how will I fit in.
An organisation needs good leaders to drive the spirit of culture and collaboration. Leaders need to be supportive and have empathy. If they do not have these qualities then teams will disintegrate. People will be unhappy, frustrated, and eventually move on.
If there are people who are highly supportive and believe in the spirit of collaboration and teamwork, it makes the task of blending in smoother. But there are adjustments to be made on your side too. How do others perceive you? What do you need to change about yourself?
If you are going to be an introvert who does not reach out to others at the workplace, then it’s not going to work. Either you adjust or move out of the organisation.
If the organisational culture is such that people are not very collaborative, and they work from different locations, then you are going to face some struggles in adapting to the culture. Face-to-face meetings are essential to get along with others. If the only way to interact with coworkers is conference calls or collaboration tools, then that could pose many challenges.
Teams need to interact with each other on a day-to-day basis. They need to meet, take stock, plan and discuss. And everyone needs to be supportive without being too assuming.
An organisation also needs good leaders to drive this spirit of culture and collaboration. Leaders need to be supportive and have empathy. If they do not have these qualities then teams will disintegrate. People will be unhappy, frustrated, and eventually move on.
It’s OK for a leader to be a taskmaster, but it is equally important to look closely into the tasks and not just the expected outcomes.
So make sure an organisation has the right culture, because it can make or break your success in that organisation.
