Rephrase

I just started a new job as part of a fellowship and have been there a little less than two weeks. Since the whole assignment is only nine months long, I have been striving to hit the ground running. I am very aware of wanting to strike a balance between humility (recognizing that I am in a totally new sector/environment) and wanting to own and use the expertise that I bring to my new role.

My first project is something that has been defined philosophically by my team, but needs further research, strategy, and implementation. In a meeting with the project lead earlier this week, I was discussing possible opportunities to engage participants at an upcoming event. My colleague explained that this might be difficult, and perhaps the most effective approach would be to survey the participants after the event.

Now, my initial reaction was that surveys can seem stale and sometimes frustrating to participants, and I heard myself start to answer with that sentiment. But I quickly paused and re-phrased, not wanting to dismiss her idea. I said that I agreed that a survey would be an integral part of the follow-up with participants because it was a great way to capture a wide range of opinions, but that it might be great to pair the survey with a more integrated strategy that also included in-person touch-points. I also acknowledged that I might not have full context on the complexity of the event schedule, and asked if I could see an itinerary to better understand the limitations.

This conversation reminded me that in order to build something with another person, it is important to consider what each of you brings to the table and how those things can complement one other. In this case, my colleague’s context and my fresh perspective could blend to produce something amazing, but only if we understand and acknowledge what it is that we know and don’t know. I do know that on my end, my next meeting agenda is full of a whole lot more questions than it was last time. I look forward to seeing what results!

– Agent SM, Princeton