I founded MediSieve after eight consecutive years of science education within academia.
In the first months, I had many conversations with people that I had never interacted with before: investors and business leaders, consultants and lawyers, CEOs and salespeople…
I was used to spending my time surrounded by scientists, and suddenly found myself in a completely different world. I quickly realised that I would need to adapt.
Finding yourself in a group of people who think and communicate in unfamiliar ways is common, particularly at the start of your career. They know things that you don’t, and you know things that they don’t.
Their beliefs, values, mindset, objectives, ways of thinking may all be different from what you are used to. They use vocabulary you don’t fully understand. Their approach to some tasks seems strange to you.
We want to be respected and heard so that we can bring our unique value to the team. A successful team requires effective communication and mutual understanding, so we must adapt how we communicate – both how we listen and how we speak.
The first step to gaining respect is to grant it to others, and that means shaking off any unconscious bias or feelings of superiority (or indeed inferiority!).
Start by carefully listening to your new colleagues (take an active listening course, if you can) with the goal of understanding how the group communicates – this will in turn help you to communicate effectively.
Then, identify how you can provide value. If you’re new to a group, you want to bring something different and new. While building your understanding of the strengths of others in the group, you should be identifying your own unique strengths.
Your different background will mean that there are areas that you can speak about with confidence, and this is where you can bring the most value, because you’re bringing something new and different.
It goes without saying that you should always show respect for people and their opinions. However, challenging opinions and enabling fruitful discussion is also essential for a team to maximise its potential.
It is the manager’s responsibility to create company cultures in which everyone feels free to express dissenting opinions. If you have that safe space, it is then your responsibility to express yourself with clarity and respect.
It can be difficult to disagree with people, particularly when you are in an unfamiliar group. You should always remain open-minded – you might be the one who is wrong!
But you must also have the confidence to express yourself when within your areas of strength. Just remember to challenge the idea, and not the individual expressing it.
Finally, make sure that you understand the “rules of engagement” and “social contract” within your new group. Something acceptable in one group – swearing, for example – may be completely unacceptable in your new environment. So tread lightly!
The key to healthy collaboration is strong communication, and the key to strong communication is mutual respect. You should seek to grant it willingly and earn it actively.
In new groups, you can be successful if you also (1) check your unconscious biases, (2) make the effort to learn the group’s methods of communication, (3) understand your and others’ strengths within that group, and (4) express yourself with confidence within those areas.
If you adapt to your new environment, you will thrive.
Dr George Frodsham is founder and CEO of MediSieve
