What does "above and beyond" look like for a software role?
I'll be transferring to a new team in two months, and did not hit it off with my new boss. Quite the opposite, actually. This team was not my first choice, and it became known to my boss that my interests are elsewhere. He does not have confidence in my abilities to stay committed to this team, and made that abundantly clear in one of our subsequent meetings. Some of my earlier failings in this company (tardiness in meetings and phone usage, which I have since rectified) were also brought up which makes him (understandably) unconfident. I still want to be a productive part of his team, so I want to mend the relationship. Assuming the well is not permanently poisoned, I intend to go above and beyond during our time working together to prove that I can bring value to his team, and will not be disruptive or harm the team. I've already asked him what does he expect from me in order to remove this negative image of me within the first months. His request was for me to "show I'm trying to go above and beyond" and "don't be told how twice". The latter is quite straightforward but the former is the reason I'm making this post. I don't know exactly how, in concrete and well-defined terms, "to go above and beyond" in my position. A lot of previous posts focus on other people going above and beyond, and these people are often in these positions for years and are familiar with the technology enough to show performance. Meanwhile, I will still be learning the new technology for a while. The obvious ones (getting to meetings early and not using my phone during office hours, which I have been doing for a while now) I can do, but I was wondering whether there's more I can be doing. I've asked to be introduced to the team and participate in the new team's meetings, and have let him know I'm doing extra-curricular research into the topic to smooth the integration process. But it is hard to shake the feeling that there is more I can be doing. I won't be starting for another 2 months so I'd appreciate any answers that distinguish between what I can be doing now and what I can be doing once I start. This is a large company with a rigid and formal hierarchy, but the software teams have more leeway. My previous team was casual but they were outliers, and this team will be more strict. I do not want to leave the company. I'm more than happy to eat humble pie as this is my responsibility, hence the question posted. I just want to know what the most effective way to consume this humble pie is.
I'll be transferring to a new team in two months, and did not hit it off with my new boss. Quite the opposite, actually.
This team was not my first choice, and it became known to my boss that my interests are elsewhere. He does not have confidence in my abilities to stay committed to this team, and made that abundantly clear in one of our subsequent meetings. Some of my earlier failings in this company (tardiness in meetings and phone usage, which I have since rectified) were also brought up which makes him (understandably) unconfident.
I still want to be a productive part of his team, so I want to mend the relationship. Assuming the well is not permanently poisoned, I intend to go above and beyond during our time working together to prove that I can bring value to his team, and will not be disruptive or harm the team.
I've already asked him what does he expect from me in order to remove this negative image of me within the first months. His request was for me to "show I'm trying to go above and beyond" and "don't be told how twice". The latter is quite straightforward but the former is the reason I'm making this post.
I don't know exactly how, in concrete and well-defined terms, "to go above and beyond" in my position. A lot of previous posts focus on other people going above and beyond, and these people are often in these positions for years and are familiar with the technology enough to show performance. Meanwhile, I will still be learning the new technology for a while.
The obvious ones (getting to meetings early and not using my phone during office hours, which I have been doing for a while now) I can do, but I was wondering whether there's more I can be doing. I've asked to be introduced to the team and participate in the new team's meetings, and have let him know I'm doing extra-curricular research into the topic to smooth the integration process. But it is hard to shake the feeling that there is more I can be doing. I won't be starting for another 2 months so I'd appreciate any answers that distinguish between what I can be doing now and what I can be doing once I start.
This is a large company with a rigid and formal hierarchy, but the software teams have more leeway. My previous team was casual but they were outliers, and this team will be more strict. I do not want to leave the company.
I'm more than happy to eat humble pie as this is my responsibility, hence the question posted. I just want to know what the most effective way to consume this humble pie is.
