How to handle unrealistic expectations from your manager and teammates?

Question

Lately, I've been improving my performance at work. I have solved some challenging problems, and I'm getting immense trust from my manager. My colleagues have started to express that I'm talented.

"With great power comes great responsibility".

It seems that now, my teammates believe I can always learn on my own and never ask any questions. But it's my first job ever, and I need help.

How do I handle this situation? How do I not make colleagues doubt my competency, and at the same time keep my performance high?

Answer 1

There is no-one who doesn't need to ask questions. You solved some big problems, that's good. You had some great ideas and implemented them, that's good. You still need to know things once in a while. Literally the people who invented the programming languages I use ask their coworkers and colleagues questions at time.

Whenever you ask someone a question and you feel like they're implying you shouldn't have, the best thing you can do (usually after you get your answer) is ask them

Is this something I should have figured out without asking you?

Sometimes, they say yes, it was discussed in yesterday's meeting or it's in the wiki or it's right here in the issue/ticket/workitem. Sometimes they say no. Get in the habit of asking. And don't settle for just a "yes", you need to know where you could have got the information and understand that you did know about that beforehand.

It's possible you're a smart person who works hard and has great ideas but needs to be more diligent about checking the wiki or searching by yourself before bothering another person for help. It's also possible you're a normal person who needs to ask team mates about things on a regular basis. We can't tell from here. You can't tell in general. But you can ask, every time you ask for help, what you could have done instead. In this way you can learn to help yourself and be even quicker and more productive than you are today.

Answer 2

You've new your very first new job and you say "I'm getting immense trust from my manager" and "My colleagues have started to express that I'm talented." and those are problems?

Your manager has given you trust but infer is that a problem. I don't think it is unless you are anxious that it's too much for you. If it is, just tell them. They will thank-you for being honest, but won't be happy if you keep quiet and struggle.

As for your colleagues, they are telling others that you are good, but are leaving you to fix issues yourself and not offering to help? Is that right? Maybe they genuinely think you are good enough that you don't need any help.

That said, no-one knows everything. How long have you been at this job? How long have they been there? If you don't know, ask them. Just get to know them as people first and don't worry about their help. They seem to trust you and that's a great start. It's when people make preventable mistakes or do something that causes problems when trust is broken, and it's hard to repair.

Also, don't be in a rush to be the hero with the IT cape. Eagerness is one thing, rushing into big problems to save the day is another thing which can backfire if some people can't appreciate it.