I have just started a new job as an assistant professor in a tenure-track position.
- What are the most important things that I can do to build good working and social relationships with my colleagues?
- Related to the above question, what are the tasks that require faculty members to work together, and how do I work well as a member of a team in such settings?
Background I felt that I did not do a good job in developing relationships with other students during my PhD years. I observed that other students seemed to go for lunch/coffee, hang out together, go out to a bar or for a movie, but somehow I did not participate in such social activities. I hope that I do not make the same mistakes as I start my new job as a new faculty member.
Clarification in response to the question How do we have to imagine that you did not participate in such social activities?
I did take part in some department social events, e.g. a student retreat, student BBQs, the intermural soccer team, open houses for prospective PhD students, etc. I didn't join people for coffee because it is not a habit for me to drink coffee. Perhaps I should have joined not for the coffee but for the company. As the stress oh PhD piled up I became more insular because it takes energy for me to socialize with others and I wanted to conserve energy. Now that I look back, I feel that if I had spent a little more time with other people, I could find a happy medium where I am neither too exhausted being with other people (too much social interaction) nor feeling lonely (too little social interaction).