Steven Joyce Teaches How to Start a New Job

At this time of year, many people are either looking for new jobs, or starting one.

So is Steven Joyce. Prime Minister John Key announced this week that he had appointed Joyce to be Minister with Special Responsible for Novopay, the Ministry of Education’s pay system that has caused so much angst for teachers.

Interviewed by John Campbell on TV the night his appointment was announced, Joyce said the most important thing he needed to do was: “Close mouth, open ears, and listen pretty thoroughly to what all the stakeholders have got to say.” 

This is very good advice to everyone starting a new job. No one likes the new person who’s seen it all before and thinks they have all the answers. Each company and situation is unique — and thinking what’s worked in the past will also work in this new company can be a big mistake. Such an attitude can damage relationships, and instead of making an effort to help the new person get on top of their new job, people can withhold information — not necessarily intentionally, but because they sense there’s no point in sharing perspectives.

Joyce refers to the need to listen to all the stakeholders - even though it’s likely Joyce doesn’t know who they all are yet. New people need to take the time to find out who the interested people are – who will be directly and indirectly impacted by their work. Just like Joyce, new people should make a point of quickly getting to meet all the stakeholders to discuss their needs and expectations . . . and hopefully, to discover who else they need to talk to. Most new people are surprised at just how wide the stakeholder network is. As Joyce describes in his situation, the stakeholders include not only the teachers who haven’t been paid, but all the other people who’ve been working on the project. 

Even when people have been employed with a clear agenda for change, as in Joyce’s case, listening, keeping an open mind, and taking an appropriate amount of time is vital.

When Campbell asked Joyce if there a plan B — in the event Novopay wasn’t the right programme — he responded:   “There are a range of options... I don’t want to go through and start saying this is in and this is out at this point of time. I don’t think I’m doing anyone any favours by that. ... I don’t think it would be wise for me to offer an opinion... I need some time to get my head around it.  I won’t be doing favours by jumping to conclusions.”

“Isn’t your job to bash some heads together if something doesn’t change and improve,” asked Campbell?

“The way I like to work is to go in, get some information, get all the information I need to have, talk to the right people, and then make the right decision,” replied Joyce.  

He added this is a process he has followed both in his parliamentary life and in his commercial experience too.

Then Campbell asked: “When will it be resolved? Can you come back to us and say that it’s sorted?” 

And Joyce offered more sage advice for new people in his reply:  “No time frame. I don’t want to give false hope. I’m going to need a little bit of space. It’s going to take some time.” 

People starting a new role in the next few months will do well if they follow Joyce’s style: listen, engage with stakeholders, keep an open mind, and don’t rush.

You can watch the interview here: http://ondemand.tv3.co.nz/Campbell-Live-Tuesday-January-22-2013/tabid/119/articleID/9320/MCat/73/Default.aspx

Cynthia Johnson, Feb 2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At this time of year, many people are either looking for new jobs, or starting one.

So is Steven Joyce. Prime Minister John Key announced this week that he had appointed Joyce to be Minister with Special Responsible for Novopay, the Ministry of Education’s pay system that has caused so much angst for teachers.

Interviewed by John Campbell on TV the night his appointment was announced, Joyce said the most important thing he needed to do was: “Close mouth, open ears, and listen pretty thoroughly to what all the stakeholders have got to say.” 

This is very good advice to everyone starting a new job. No one likes the new person who’s seen it all before and thinks they have all the answers. Each company and situation is unique — and thinking what’s worked in the past will also work in this new company can be a big mistake. Such an attitude can damage relationships, and instead of making an effort to help the new person get on top of their new job, people can withhold information — not necessarily intentionally, but because they sense there’s no point in sharing perspectives.

Joyce refers to the need to listen to all the stakeholders - even though it’s likely Joyce doesn’t know who they all are yet. New people need to take the time to find out who the interested people are – who will be directly and indirectly impacted by their work. Just like Joyce, new people should make a point of quickly getting to meet all the stakeholders to discuss their needs and expectations . . . and hopefully, to discover who else they need to talk to. Most new people are surprised at just how wide the stakeholder network is. As Joyce describes in his situation, the stakeholders include not only the teachers who haven’t been paid, but all the other people who’ve been working on the project.