Are You A Square Peck In A Round Hole?

          You have landed a new job, have been assigned a new role or have been promoted within a given establishment but just don`t seem to fit? Having a rough ride settling down to your new role? Are you giving your new assignment the best short but still quite unable to meet targets and achieve as much as your work colleagues? Well, if your answer to any of the afore-posed questions is in the affirmative, just keep calm; such a seemingly awkward experience is not unique to you. It is the lot of many and please don`t be too quick to consign yourself to the belief that you are ‘a square peg in a round hole.’ It is quite a natural phenomenon to experience difficulties in a new role or job, especially over the course of the first few weeks.

          Also worth-noting is the fact that there are simple, yet potent measures you can take that will make the ride much smoother, perhaps shortening your rough ride season –adjusting to your new role and optimizing your productivity. Below are a few suggestions to aid you in this direction.

Maintain the right attitude

           Zig Ziglar, the world-renowned corporate trainer, public speaker and best-selling author makes a remarkable point in his book, “Over the top” when he states, “your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.” It is important to note that, the afore-mentioned quote does not by any stretch of the imagination seek to downplay the value of aptitude. Aptitude is very essential in the corporate world and should never be glossed over. However, aptitude accomplishes far much more when it is exerted with the right attitude. The right attitude will compel an employee to work on honing his or her skill-set, competences and aptitude. Approach your new job with the right attitude and stick with it. An attitude that says you are capable, challenges notwithstanding is that which will eventually win the day, for in the heat of the pressure, you will maintain a positive outlook and will be willing to do whatever it takes to excel at your new role or job. It won`t matter if you are going through a rough ride settling in. for you will keep at it, being fully persuaded that you will eventually sail through the tough times.

Commit yourself to continues learning

          It was Brian Tracy, a top sales trainer and prolific author who once noted: “You can learn anything you need to learn to achieve any goal you can set for yourself; there are no limits.”

In this age of phenomenal technological advancement, there is no telling the volumes of information on a variety of subjects accessible to humanity. Valuable information is just a click of the button away. Vast amounts of relevant information may be accessed on the internet. Worthy of note is the fact that these volumes of information are not limited to e-reading materials; there are huge collections of audio and video tutorials on the internet. Some can be accessed for free, whereas others can be accessed for a fee. On-line courses are also run. Make the most of these great learning opportunities accorded this generation; invest in these materials to increase your knowledge base and to hone your skills for optimal performance in your new role or job. Be reader and a researcher by choice; you won`t regret it.

          Learn as much as you can from your superiors and also your colleagues; feel free to ask questions where you need some clarification or tutelage. Be observant and pay attention to details. These are all valuable learning opportunities; latch on to them while they last.

Keep practicing

Growing up, we were accustomed to the adage, “practice makes perfect.” Some have introduced a newer version which state, “perfect practice makes perfect.” However one may choose to state it, the value of practice cannot be over-emphasized. A routine eventually becomes habitual. The more one does a thing, the better that individual becomes at executing that task. The point is that, as the days turn into weeks and the weeks into months, the natural result (all things being equal) is that, significance progress is made and you adjust safely into your new role. I remember my experience while working with Vodafone Ghana as a Data Entry Specialist. The first two weeks were perhaps the toughest as we were exposed to new concepts and systems. A few of my colleagues caught some of the concepts quite fast but others like me didn`t, especially when it came to practicing in real work settings. One of our colleagues called it quits after the first few days of training. I must admit I thought of quitting but hanged in there. For a few days I struggled to adjust and was unable to meet my daily targets. But the situation was soon to change.  What eventually became obvious was that the more I practiced, the better I became at what I did.

Persevere all through

          In any given human endeavour, perseverance is non-negotiable for significant and sustained accomplishment. Even more so in the work environment, significant progress can be made when one persists in doing the right thing.  Elbert Hubbard was right when he quipped, “a little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless failure may turn to glorious success.” The fact that you are having a rough ride settling into your new job or role doesn`t mean you should throw your arms in despair and call it quits. If you put in the necessary work, overtime, you will be the better for it. You will certainly begin to reap the dividends of patiently persisting in the discharge of your duties, however challenging it might be.

Written by Daniel Dela Dunoo