Jumping In
I was always the kid on the sidelines watching others double dutch jump rope. I never really understood how you timed the jump in. When I saw someone jump in I was amazed they didn’t fall on their face. I was just as amazed when their entrance into the game didn’t interrupt the flow.
Thinking about the process now I realized everyone worked together to make the entrance a success. But the one entering the ropes had to:
- observe what was going on.
- start to feel the rhythm of the team.
- make the decision to jump in.
- asked if they could jump in.
- did their best to go at the same pace as the rest of the jumpers.
Entering a new job is much the same process. You need to
- observe an organization to see if you align with their mission
- investigate to see if there is a position where your unique skills match their need
- make a decision to apply and do so
If you are asked to join then you
- do your best to jump in and start working at the same pace as the team.
When entering a job the organization has a great responsibility to make the ‘jump in’ as easy as possible. I wrote about that here: Six Lessons from Being Left On The Road.
I don’t think I would ever be good at doing double-dutch jump rope but I can still observe and be amazed.
