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I have found myself in a similar position between independence and isolation in my role, though it's not as high-profile. I am interested in the other answers here and will add my two cents. Recent hiring: KEEP IT STUPID-SIMPLE. Being new at the company, less experienced, and empowered, you will probably be tempted by lots of "solutions," whether they're products, frameworks, management buzzwords, etc. Most of them are not designed for a one-man-team. Make sure your solutions actually help YOU. Non-technical boss: AGREE ON METRICS. Your boss/es will measure you eventually, whether either of you are aware of it or not. It may be better to discuss some metrics while you have a chance to do something about it. At the end of the day, it's almost always about money (and sometimes ego), especially with cantankerous O&G types. Just figure out how you can show you enable, save, or make money within the system. Feedback and standards: YOUR BEST FEEDBACK AND STANDARDS WILL COME FROM YOU. You are in a position to act on your best judgement, and then own your mistakes. Yes, you can feel like a fish-out-of-water a lot of the time. I have tried to find a balance between pushing myself to learn personal skills on projects, innovating for the company, just getting things "done," and keeping myself sane. Your peers, "clients", and supervisors are probably not used to (or aware of) "best practices", which is a double-edged sword. They might expect you to deliver things you know could be better, but you also have a ton of power to build a solid environment for yourself. Think of progress like driving a big boat, not a racecar. |