A dangerous mix

People new into post often have big knowledge gaps as they work to understand the context in which they are working. This is not necessarily a problem in itself. We all climb up steep learning curves when we are new.

The issue then is not the lack of knowledge alone. There is also the issue of attitude taken to work. As is often the case, humility is an important characteristic to display in work (and in many other contexts too).

The dangerous mix is that of lack of knowledge (ignorance) together with ambition. The ambitious person will crash around in a new job, without thinking through the wider political context in which they are working. This is a dangerous mix – inadvertantly the new member of staff can crash around the system only aware of quick wins they are achieving with no idea of the broader implications of their actions.

So  – the lesson: avoid the volatility of mixing ignorance and ambition. Where possible encourage humility and the ability to see that asking for help and advice is a strength, not a weakness.