Brian is a husband, father, coach, and is the Senior Vice President of Allianz Life Insurance Company. A little about Allianz: Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America started in 1896. Today, their focus is to help Americans achieve their retirement income goals with a variety of annuities and life insurance products. As a leading provider of fixed index annuities, Allianz Life is part of Allianz SE, a global leader in the financial services industry with nearly 155,000 employees worldwide. Based on its revenue, Allianz SE is the 20th largest company in the world (Fortune Global 500, August 2009). Brian plays a significant part in the Allianz company and is responsible for the oversight of many employees and their transition into the company.
Brian’s Interview:
In my interviews with prospective employees, a question I ask to everyone is: “If you are hired what does your first 60-90 days look like?” I am looking for only one answer that I feel is directionally correct.
- “My first several months on the Job is for me to listen, learn and ask questions. Listen to people about the company culture so I can fit in (most people don’t like someone coming in to drastically change the way things have been), what is working, what is not?”
Learn how to adapt to the company culture, learn from my peers, etc. My belief is that you cannot possibly help people in whatever the role is until you have taken the time to listen, learn and ask many questions. Don’t talk, listen.
- The biggest mistake in my opinion a new employee can make in the first 90 days is to come into a new situation with the attitude that they will change everything, that they know what is wrong, they will be the savior. You cannot possibly have those answers in the first 90 days. If they come in with that perspective, I have found that those that were there before them will have a very difficult time respecting that individual. It will be very hard to overcome as most people will feel: “I’ve been here X years and this person’s been here 3 weeks and has all the answers and didn’t even take the time to learn.”
- I always use this ANALOGY with prospective employees in any position. “You might be coming into an organization of 2000. If you are entering the freeway during rush hour, whose responsibility is it to MERGE, should the 500 cars already on the road have to worry about the 1 car MERGING onto the freeway or is it the 1 cars responsibility? The 1 car is the minority in this situation that car/person must learn to slow down or speed up dependent upon the situation, the culture that’s already in existence, if you don’t understand that you will run into the cars already on the freeway/Run into your peers that are already at the company, and most of the time you will lose, lose respect, lose credibility, etc. Just the facts of life.
1. What do you do you do/have you done in a professional context where you have transitioned or you have witnessed different individuals transition well into a new job/context?
The above bullets talk through my answer for this question but for simplicity, the first 90 days is all about learning about the environment you’ve just entered. Your first 90 days is not going to change anything/ The Company was there before you and most likely will be there after you, it’s your next 5 years that will make the difference, if you allow it to and have a little patience. No one changed the world that we live in today in 90 days.
2. What practical systems/strategies were you or that individual intentional about that was effective in helping make the most of the transition into the new environment? In other words, what practices worked?
During my 9 years at this company I have seen very effective transitions and very poor transitions. Most of the time the initial impression’s that the individual exhibits in their first 30 days sets the stage for future effectiveness or the lack of. Overall I have seen some overcoming their first 30 days but not very often. As stated above, those that took the time to respect the employees of the company there are entering by listening, learning and asking questions while not trying to prove they know everything far outweighed the other.
I think it’s crucial that during the first week you sit down one on one with peers, direct reports and some external influencers to ask those individual several different questions (here are 4 that I ask out of 6-8):
- What do you like most about your job, what don’t you like?
- If you were in my position what would be the first thing you would do. (you’ll find out very quickly everyone’s personal opinions on what they think you should be doing, and they will be honest)
- If you could do anything in the world beside what you’re doing right now, what would it be? Very cool question to get to know them better personally. (singer, professional baseball player, open up a homeless shelter are some that I have gotten)
- What are you future aspirations career wise?
I have done this in every new setting that I have entered. It helps build credibility, it shows you want to know about them both personally and professionally, and it gives you time in the employees eyes to set direction as you took time out during you first week to learn, listen and ask questions.
3. What advice would you give someone entering a new job environment concerning obstacles/pitfalls to avoid?
Very simply, as the new person, your first job is to earn the respect or those around you. Whatever you’ve been hired to do, you will not be able to be successful without that respect. Don’t forget that respect is NOT given, it is earned, and there is no entitlement to respect.
4. Name and explain some values a person in transition should focus on in their first 120 days in a new employment situation?
- Honesty – - Don’t embellish, in the age of the internet, most things can be checked and will be checked. Someone will at some time GOOGLE your history. No need to embellish.
- Respect – - The only way to get respect from your employees and/or your peers is to show respect to them. Treat people how you want to be treated.
- Ethical – - Most decisions will challenged by someone. Always stand by your morals and principles with all decisions you make, never sway and you will always be respected, even when making the tough decisions that others may not agree with. They can disagree with the decision but they can’t argue that you have always stood by your principles.
- Character – - (maybe not a value) but character is something you build everyday, it’s very difficult to build but very easy to destroy.
5. What type of professional and personal expectations should a quality employee put on themselves entering a new employment situation?
First, it’s imperative to follow the MERGING analogy in my opinion and most people can understand that analogy and put it into action. Secondly, Listen, learn and ask a lot of questions along with showing that you’re interested in what people are saying. Listening is probably the biggest skill that today’s young adults have lost. Lastly, in the first 60-90 days, let the job come to you before you put your fingerprint on it. If you correctly handle the first 90 day, you will have plenty of time to put your fingerprint on it.
6. Any final thoughts you have concerning this topic?
In some leadership positions where people are looking for you to immediately make changes and show your leadership, and some people might consider that you’re not running out of the gates taking charge and look poorly at that. It’s OK to initially state publicly, “That my first job in this new role is to listen and learn over the first 90 days, I need to understand who everyone is, what’s working, what’s not. If I don’t do that, I’m just guessing and I don’t think anyone wants me to make decisions on guesses.”
I believe that more people will feel threatened by an overall aggressive first 60 – 90 days thinking that you know everything than the few that will ask why someone is not being more aggressive, especially if you publicly state your intentions. This can be done by personally telling several people, they will spread it when needed.
