Don't let that sink in
Feb 26th 2025 | leadership | culture
The other day I found myself confronted with that image of Elon Musk walking into Twitter HQ carrying a sink, with the caption "let that sink in." It was a moment of peak tech CEO dickheadery which I really didn't want to be reminded of, but it got me thinking about a common mistake many of us make when joining a new company: bringing in the kitchen sink from our previous jobs.
The problem with transplanting processes
When you join a new company, it's tempting to immediately introduce the tools and processes that worked well in our previous roles. On the surface it makes sense - you've worked in teams like this and your old company has a load of processes and tools that work well - may as well just use those. It's not the easy win that we might think it is.
Bringing over processes without understanding the existing context can lead to several issues:
- Every team and culture is unique, and what works in one place may not work in another
- Less processes and less tools are always better - solve the problems you have, don't add the baggage of problems you might have in the future
- You'll likely create resistance from team members who feel their ways are being dismissed - we've all met the "when I was at Google/Meta/Microsoft..." bore
A better approach: Listen first, then solve
Instead of bringing in the sink, establish good feedback mechanisms first. If the team doesn't already have regular retrospectives, start there. These create a space for the team to identify their own problems. Get into a cadence of solving problems as they arise with solutions that are directly relevant to the current context. Maybe the best solution to one of those problems is something you've used from a previous role - I'm not saying that you need to reinvent the wheel - but now you are in a position where you can fit that solution to the current context.
The next time you join a new team, remember Elon and his stupid sink. Instead of letting your old solutions "sink in" take the time to understand your new environment, establish feedback loops, and only then introduce changes that address those specific needs. Your solutions will be more effective, and you'll build trust rather than resistance.