> 1. If your manager has something in particular they want you to do, you should do it.
This point seems obvious, but it's one topics I've had to coach many early career people on over and over again.
Many of the people who were having difficulties or heading toward PIP could be turned around by implementing a simple loop where they:
1. Ask their manager for the top priority, explicitly. Re-confirm the top priority every time you encounter a question about what to work on or new information that might change the situation.
2. Write it down. Put it somewhere visible. Check it every morning. Remind yourself about the top priority.
3. Do the top priority until it's done. Confirm that your manager agrees that it's done when you think it's done.
It sounds simple to those of us who internalized these loops early in our careers, but some people don't see it so clearly until it's laid out for them. They get distracted, go on side quests, take too many tasks from people who aren't their manager, or avoid their manager's requests in favor of a task they find more interesting.
This point seems obvious, but it's one topics I've had to coach many early career people on over and over again.
Many of the people who were having difficulties or heading toward PIP could be turned around by implementing a simple loop where they:
1. Ask their manager for the top priority, explicitly. Re-confirm the top priority every time you encounter a question about what to work on or new information that might change the situation.
2. Write it down. Put it somewhere visible. Check it every morning. Remind yourself about the top priority.
3. Do the top priority until it's done. Confirm that your manager agrees that it's done when you think it's done.
It sounds simple to those of us who internalized these loops early in our careers, but some people don't see it so clearly until it's laid out for them. They get distracted, go on side quests, take too many tasks from people who aren't their manager, or avoid their manager's requests in favor of a task they find more interesting.