How to make your mark when you enter a team

How to make your fruchtfleisch when you enter a teamHow to make your mark when you enter a teamFor most of us, working on projects and deliverables by ourselves is becoming increasingly scarce.We are constantly joining existing teams, forming new ones or otherwise meeting in groups.In fact,studiesof managers and knowledge workers reveal that they spend between 25%-80% of their time in meetings, suggesting that teamwork is a primary vehicle for the modern business today. And, meeting time has onlyincreasedsince 2008.Because a group takes on the chemistry of its collective members, each one has its own dynamic and requires you to think differently.Whats more, unlike the dreaded leaderless team a common form of torture inbusiness school most workplace teams have some kind of decision maker associated with them.That said, in every group setting you enter, youre leaving an impression of yourself.Id even go so far as to say thatmeetingsand group projects are part ofan ongoing audition fo r your job. Youre training other people how to see and treat you. When youre the new person on a team, it pays to have a strategy for how youll both assimilateandadd value.Consider these strategies as you make your mark and take control of your impression in groupsHave a point of viewYes, this might sound obvious. But, when youre the new person in a group, many people tend to play it safe and behave more like a student or observer, than an engaged member. In an interview I did onnext generation leadershipwith Shannon Herzfeld, Vice President of Government Relations atArcher Midland Daniels Company, Herzfeld recommended, Ask the tough business questions. Many younger women want to be helpful and nice rather than portraying themselves as someone who grows the bottom line. Make a critical comparison, highlight an industry trend or statistic, or inquire constructively about how a conclusion was reached.Make contact with the lead horseIf you want to be seen as a team member who has the t eeth to handle tough problems, then dont act overly deferential to your teams leader. When I wrotePushback, I askedMarie Chandoha, President CEO ofCharles SchwabInvestment Management about this. She notlageed, I do a lot of work with horses and what Ive learned is that in a herd, theres always one dominant animal. Ive noticed that a new horse will have a short interaction with the leader rather early on. That shows that the horse is assertive. Its not a drawn out or continual interaction though there isnt a need to keep asserting power. Show faith in yourself by knowing youre worthy to make contact with high-ranking individuals and mentors. While being considerate of their time, ask them to expand on a topic they brought up or express your interest, experience or background in a key area.Assess the dynamics of the teamWhat you pay attention to on Day 1 with a team is undoubtedly going to be different than where you focus your energy after Year 1. Early on, you should be balancing m aking a mark with absorbingthe culture of a group.How do people communicate, make a point or disagree with each other?How evenly to people share the speaking platform? Once youre a more established team member, think about - with intention - how youre contributing to the team in terms of energy, mood, and outputs.Aim high and be honest if youre really executing on that vision.Executive coach Ann Daly PhD recently wrote about the power of being intentional before a meeting and noted, Early assertiveness becomes self-reinforcing within the group Projecting confidence inspires confidence.How you show up early on in a team situationleaves a lasting impression with those around you. Its not that you cant sculpt your personal brand once youve joined a group, but life will be much easier if you can get it right from the beginning.How have you joined a group and made your mark? Either the wrong way - or the right way?This article appeared on Be Leaderly.