Start with your manager and ask whom you should talk to.

If you're on your own, or in conjunction with your manager’s recommendations, pull up your organizational chart. Write down what areas of work or departments touch your area of work and how they interact with your department.

Make a list of key people in those departments.

• Your mind might go right to the top of the food chain in that department, but that’s not the best place to start. Start in the middle to find someone who is accessible and might have the bandwidth to talk with you.

Send an email or direct message to the person you want to talk with to let them know what you’re trying to do and to request a meeting.

• For example: “Hi! My name is ________ and I work in ______ department. I’m new here (or I’m new to ____ team), and I think we will be working together on various projects along the way. I would love to take a few minutes to get to know you and learn how best to work together. 

If they agree, set up a thirty-minute meeting. Most of the time you can check their calendar to see when they are busy or free.

Here are sample questions to ask your new contact at your upcoming meeting.

• Tell me about yourself, how long you’ve been here, and what your journey has been like.

• How will be working together?

• Are there certain processes your team follows I should be aware of?

• What are things I can do to help you?

• If I ever have questions, can I reach out and ask you?

• Is there anyone else on your team I should get to know?

• Is there anything else I should know?

Add any other questions that feel relevant to you!

Make sure to take notes during your meeting.

Set a time to have a follow up conversation if it feels relevant. You might suggest a bi-monthly or quarterly meeting if it's appropriate.

Via direct message, if possible, thank them for the meeting (email might feel too formal). You could say, “Thanks so much for meeting with me! I really liked learning about____” or whatever is relevant from your meeting. Keep it short and snappy. Alternatively, hand write a short thank you note…this will create differentiation and be memorable in your relationship, and leadership!

Go back to your notes to summarize and clean up what you captured. The notes should make sense if you come back to them months later.

Place on your calendar, a recurring reminder to reach out to them with a brief email, text, note or meeting. Finding your people is about building relationships and creating value. Make these deposits into the relationship bank and the rest will flow naturally. 

Be mindful of when you are asking for the meeting. It’s best to avoid setting a meeting for the end of the month, quarter, or year. I always say shoot for the second week of the month, if possible. Confirm what time zone they are in as well. There’s nothing worse than accidentally setting up a 5:00 a.m. meeting.

Be genuine and ask questions in your own words. It shouldn’t sound unnatural.

Use a digital tool to capture your notes like Evernote or OneNote. (You’ll learn more about the best tools to use in Part II: Use Your Weapons). Be careful to be present when using technology! While you take notes digitally, you want the other person to know you’re listening and are 100% committed. 

If you agreed on any action items during the meeting, be sure to follow through on them. This is very important because it leaves the right impression and exemplifies your value and accountability. (You’ll learn ways to organize and follow through in Part II: Find Your Tools).