How to Succeed in Your New Job | The Way We Work, a TED series

In many workplaces, there are rules that are completely unspoken.

譯者: Lilian Chiu

在許多工作場所都有 沒有說出來的潛規則。

Understanding them is crucial for success,

了解它們對於成功相當重要，

and yet you won't find them in your employee handbook.

但在你的員工手冊中 可找不到這些規則。

Unless you're lucky enough to have a mentor or manager

除非你夠幸運，有前輩或經理 願意把你拉到一旁幫你一把，

who pulls you aside to help,

you just kind of have to figure them out on your own.

要不然，你得靠自己搞懂。

[The Way We Work]

〔我們工作的方式〕

Starting a new job can feel like starting at a new school.

開始新工作的感覺可能 就像進入一所新學校就讀。

You're meeting new people,

你會認識新的人，你會 被丟進不熟悉的情境中，

you're getting thrown into unfamiliar situations,

and you’re constantly wondering: What does everyone think of me?

且你經常會納悶：大家怎麼看待我？

但，不論你是開始 人生的第一份工作，

But whether you're starting your first job ever

or just starting a new role,

或者只是開始擔任一個新角色，

making a great impression doesn't have to be so scary.

「留下好的印象」 都不需要這麼讓人怯步。

It all comes down to deciphering those unspoken rules

一切都歸結到要解譯那些潛規則，

and demonstrating what I call the three Cs:

並展現出我所謂的三個 C：

competence, commitment and compatibility.

能力、投入，和和睦相處。

The first C is competence.

第一個 C 是能力。

On day one, your new colleagues are probably looking at you

第一天，你的新同事們 可能會看著你並心想：

and thinking: Can you do your job?

你能勝任這工作嗎？

The way to convince others,

若要說服他人（更不用說 還有你自己）你能勝任，

not to mention yourself, that yes, you can,

is to show your homework

就是呈現你做的功課，

and to give others something to react to.

並給別人一些什麼， 讓他們做出反應。

Let’s say it’s your first day, and it’s utter chaos.

假設今天是你的第一天，且很混亂。

People are forwarding you messages

別人轉傳訊息給你，只有 最上頭寫著「參見下方」，

with nothing more than a "See below" at the top

and pulling you into meetings without any notice or context.

且不通知你或不告訴你 來龍去脈就拉你去開會。

Your manager just gave you a task,

你的經理剛交付你一項任務， 才兩分鐘你就搞糊塗了。

and two minutes in you're already confused.

Instead of going back to them right away and saying,

不要直接回去找他們並說：

“I don’t know what to do next, help!”

「我不知道接著 要怎麼做，幫幫我！」

Or doing what I did,

也別做我所做的：完全不問問題。

which is not asking questions at all,

think about a similar task that you tried in a previous job,

試著想想你在前一份工作時 嘗試過的類似任務，

in school or just for yourself.

或在學校做的，或為自己做的也行，

What steps did you take then?

你那時採取什麼步驟？

Then make your best guess and just give it a try.

接著盡可能做出最好的猜測， 然後就去試試看。

Then go back to your manager and say,

接著回去找你的經理， 說：「我正在做 X，

“I’m working on X,

我不太確定接著要怎麼做。

and I'm not quite sure of what to do next.

I've taken X steps and spoken to so-and-so and I understand this part,

我已經採取了這些步驟， 和某某人談過了，

我了解這個部分，但對 那個部分就不太清楚。

but I'm still unclear about this other part.

What do you think about this approach?"

你認為這個做法如何？」

No, I'm not suggesting that you fake it till you make it,

不，我不是建議你一直 假裝直到你成功為止，

but what I am suggesting is that you try until you can't try anymore.

我的建議是你要一直嘗試， 直到無法嘗試為止。

Time matters, though, so give yourself a limit.

但時間也很要緊，給自己設個時限。

And depending on your deadline, figuring things out on your own.

根據你的時限，靠自己去設法解決。

Then ask and then learn from what others tell you.

接著再去問，並從別人 告訴你的內容中學習。

It's your first bit of knowledge around how things work here.

這些是你對於這裡 如何運作的一點初始知識。

The second C is commitment.

第二個 C 是投入。

Besides looking to see if you can do your job,

除了要看你是否能勝任你的工作，

your colleagues are also looking to see if you're dedicated.

你的同事也會想要看 你是否有心投入。

During your first week in a new job,

上任新工作的第一週，

try asking your manager questions about expectations.

試著問問你的經理 關於期望方面的問題。

My favorites are one, what are my top priorities in this role?

我覺得這些都很棒：

一、我在這個角色上最優先 要考量的是什麼？

Two, how would you like to communicate day-to-day and week-to-week?

二、你希望每日和每週 要用什麼方式溝通？

And three, what have your highest performers done

三、你旗下的大將採用了哪些 做法是你建議我也該做的？

that you'd suggest that I do too?

For your peers, try to go more casual.

對同儕，試著用輕鬆點的方式。

In your first few days, your manager will be probably, or well,

你到職的前幾天，你的經理可能會，

嗯，至少希望他會，

at least hopefully,

taking you around and introducing you to your other teammates.

帶你到處走走，把你 介紹給你的其他隊友。

In those moments,

在那些時刻，想想你要如何 將「嗨」轉換成交談，

think about how you can transform some of those "Hi's" into conversations

and then those conversations into relationships.

將交談轉換成關係。

One option is to ask how others' weeks are going.

選項之一，是問問對方最近如何。

For those you really get along with,

對於你真的覺得處得來的人，

try involving them in your work

試著讓他們參與你的工作， 甚至也許你的生活，

and maybe even your life with phrases like,

可以說：「喔，我樂意 聽聽你對 A 的意見。」

“Oh, I’d love to get your input on A.”

Or “Could I get your advice on B?”

或說：「你可以給我 一些對 B 的建議嗎？」

These can all go a long way in deepening a relationship.

這些對於加深關係 都會有長遠的影響。

第三個 C 是和睦相處。

The third C, it's compatibility.

Every time a new person joins a team,

每當有一個新人加入團隊，

the others on it want to know: Will you get along with us?

團隊中的其他人會想要知道：

你和我們能處得來嗎？

By initiating conversations,

光是發起交談，你就已經 在表達你願意和睦相處了。

you're already expressing compatibility.

But while you're at it,

當你這麼做時，也善用這時間 試著辨識出誰主掌什麼，

use this time to try and identify who's in charge of what

or what I call “invisible swim lanes.”

或者我所謂的「隱形的 泳道（工作通道）」。

Let's say you've just started a new remote job.

假設你剛開始做一份遠距的新工作。

First, ask your manager if there's an org chart.

首先，問你的經理有沒有組織圖。

It's a diagram showing who reports to whom.

它是一張呈現出誰要向誰報告的圖。

And if there is one, amazing.

如果有，太棒了。

But formal job titles and reporting lines

但正式的頭銜和誰向誰報告的關係

can only tell you so much about how things really work.

在幫你了解事情如何運作上， 只能提供有限的情報。

So when you're in meetings and group chats, pay attention.

所以當你在會議上或群組聊天中時，

要多留意。

What's each person's role?

每個人的角色是什麼？

Who reports to whom?

誰向誰報告？

Who's on whose side, who commands respect,

誰站在誰那一邊？誰值得尊敬？

which behaviors get rewarded and which behaviors get punished?

哪些行為會被獎勵，哪些會被懲罰？

Understanding these norms, loyalties, power brokers

了解這些規範、忠誠度、

權力經紀人，和泳道，

and swim lanes

is what people are really referring to

當大家說了解團隊「文化」 很重要時，所意指的就是這些。

when they say that it’s important to understand a team’s “culture.”

And by the way, while you're mapping out these swim lanes,

順道一提，在你繪出泳道圖的同時，

look around to see if there's any swim lane that might be unoccupied

四處看看有沒有尚未被佔用的泳道，

or in other words, what tasks might be available

或，換句話說，還有什麼 任務是你可以接手的，

that aren't currently being done

目前尚未完成，

that can help your team accomplish more, better, faster, cheaper, safer,

且能協助你的團隊達成更多、

做得更好、更省錢、 更安全、更穩當。

more securely.

By doing this,

這麼做，

you'll show that you're competent enough to spot gaps,

你是在展現你的能力足以發現落差、

committed enough to fill them

你的投入足以填補落差，

and compatible enough to not overstep.

且你夠和睦不會越界。

Here’s the reality of starting a new job.

開始做一份新工作的現實是：

Doing your job is only part of it.

盡你的職責只是其中的一部分。

The rest is about how you get along with other people.

剩下的要看你怎麼和其他人相處。

But as much as we've been talking about others sizing you up,

但，雖然我們一直在談 別人怎麼打量評估你，

don't forget to do the same.

你自己也要這麼做。

Is this an environment where you can flourish and do your best work?

這個環境能夠讓你成長茁壯 並發揮最佳能力嗎？

Can you see yourself getting along with your coworkers?

你認為你能和同事處得來嗎？

Is this even work you're excited to do?

這是你會很興奮想要做的工作嗎？

Every job is a two-way street.

每份工作都是一條雙向的街道。

You can do well only if you want to do well.

唯有你想要做好， 且設定好條件去做好，

And if you're set up to do well.

你才有可能做好。

So look around, reflect

所以，看看四周，

反思，

and be honest with yourself

並坦誠告訴自己這是不是 一個對你有益的地方。

about whether this is a good place for you.