Doing Something and but Getting to the Starting Point Again
My career has been filled with daunting tasks.
I graduated with a caste in the all-also-general category of concern, which didn't exactly set me for any ane specific industry. Then, when I settled into a career with a healthcare applied science visitor—knowing absolutely zero most healthcare or applied science—I was faced with a tough gig.
My boss would pull me into her office and blitz through my adjacent assignment: "Listen, I demand y'all to reconcile our 10 biggest clients' lists of providers with their billing earlier we switch to the new accounting software."
I'd nod and take notes, but inside, my tummy was turning over with a mixture of fear and frustration. I don't even know where to commencement, I'd scowl. How does she expect me to do this?
Simply the thing is, regardless of whether you know how to practice something or not, it's part of your job to make sure it gets done. You won't ever be able to become formal company training, and oft, your boss won't be able to guide you through the task step-by-step; information technology'due south up to you to effigy out how to see it through.
After a good bargain of frustration, I somewhen learned how to take that completely overwhelmed feeling and turn information technology into something productive. Here's how.
1. Get Rid of Your Negative Outlook
When you're tasked with something new and difficult, your first idea is likely, "I can't do this." I've been there. I've sat at my desk with my caput in my easily, going through all the stages of an impossible project, from bewilderment ("There'south no way my dominate really expects me to do this") to deprival ("This must have been a mistake—I don't really take to practice this") to all-out refusal ("I'll just tell my boss to give this project to someone else").
Eventually, though, you realize that you lot practise, in fact, have to do it—and the sooner you get started, the better. So, boot the negativity, and endeavor to arroyo the project with the attitude that you're going to use the job to gain skills, make new connections, and show to your boss that you're up for anything.
2. Get-go With a Pocket-sized Stride
I've learned that the best first step for tackling a seemingly incommunicable project is to tackle a modest portion of the chore (and I mean a very, very, ridiculously infinitesimal item).
For example, when I was tasked with the provider reconciliation project, my start step was merely hitting the send button on a conference call invite to ane of my remote teammates to talk over the chore. Information technology wasn't a critical coming together with any of the big players on the project, but it was locked in on my calendar, and it gave me a starting point.
Whether it's creating the bare bones of a spreadsheet yous'll utilize or looking up the telephone number of a contact you need to get in touch with, just start. It may seem insignificant at starting time, but by the end of the 24-hour interval, y'all'll be further along than you'd be if you'd just kept telling yourself that y'all couldn't do it.
iii. Gather Information and Resources
At present that you're committed, it'southward time to dig in and face the reality of the situation: You lot may not have all the tools or knowledge you demand to actually complete the projection. Just that's OK—you merely have to runway them down.
Sometimes it's as piece of cake as finding a knowledgeable colleague and asking if he can assistance yous with the chore or if you lot can pick her brain to acquire how to do it yourself. Other times, you'll demand to recruit an employee to contribute directly to the project or ask for an introduction to, say, someone in the accounting department to get insight into the billing system or a business annotator who can help you develop a report that volition give you lot the information you need.
Any or whoever information technology is, reach out and first asking for what you lot need. Once you lot have the initiative, you'll typically find that people are willing to help and resources are available. And leaning on that noesis is a much better alternative than trying to do it all on your own.
4. Take a Whack at It
Soon, you'll come up to a signal where there'southward no more preparation (or procrastination) that you can practice; you've tracked down resources, scheduled introductory meetings, and prepped your materials.
You lot may still feel insecure about leaping into an unfamiliar chore, but while the threat of failure is looming, there's zip you can do except to go for information technology.
Actually, there are just 2 things that can happen: Either everything will go as planned and you'll have an achievement under your chugalug, or you won't quite go it on the beginning try and tin can move on to step five.
5. Assess and Repeat
After you've made a first attempt, you have an even more valuable tool available to you lot: feedback from your boss and colleagues.
In one case y'all've washed something—anything—your teammates will be able to have a look at your progress then far and may exist able to pinpoint where you went wrong or where you could approach the project or task differently.
Even if yous stump the rest of the team and have to arroyo your boss with your less-than-stellar attempt, bringing something to your boss volition show more than initiative and drive to succeed than if yous'd simply protested the project from the beginning. And likely, he or she will be able to betoken you lot in a new direction.
Beingness tasked with an unfamiliar project tin be incredibly daunting, just when you approach it with a positive attitude and a well thought out strategy, it's much more doable than you think. Take it from me.
As a total-fourth dimension managing director at a tech company, Avery is constantly finding (and writing about!) new ways to better encourage, atomic number 82, and motivate her squad. In her spare time, she enjoys listening to live music, attempting to sew, and discovering swoop bars and hole-in-the-wall restaurants. One day, she hopes to publish a memoir, adopt a Dandy Dane puppy, and detect the perfect shade of scarlet lipstick.
More from Avery AugustineSource: https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-tackle-something-you-have-no-idea-how-to-do
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