Consulting Career
How should I build trust and handle office politics when joining a consulting firm?
My previous banking team was competitive and I sometimes felt isolated. I am moving into consulting and would like to build good relationships from the start. How should I approach colleagues and office politics before I know who I can trust?
Ian’s Answer
I think the general rules below are good to follow for any career.
Tread carefully when you don't know what you don't know - i.e. when you join a new firm (or enter a new client), get the lay of the land before you challenge or aling yourself with x person
Build a reputation for just being good, and the rest will follow - Get your work done. Do it well. Pro-actively communicate and flag issues. And, perhaps most importantly (because what I've just said is table stakes), make your work visible
Find the people you can trust, but still be careful what you say - Find your allies over time. Find the people you can rely on. Pick a select few that you can truly be open with, but pick carefully...you just never know who might let something slip
Avoid saying anything negative (again, unless you truly need a vent, and it's with a person you trust) - First, no-oone likes a negative person (be a go-getter and can-do person). Second, it's just not a good mindset. We all need an occasional vent, but be known as the person who's optimistic, positive, and energizes others:)