You have a new boss, now what? We have all been there, most of us more than once. Whether it is welcomed or a sudden surprise, it can be stressful because you are no longer sure of your place. You may think; what is going to happen to me, will the new leader bring on a new team, will the organizational chart change, will my work materially change, what has she or he heard about my area? Maybe these questions are relevant but I encourage you to take a deep breath and instead consider how you could help your new leader. Having been on both sides of this equation, that perspective will help you, your team and your new leader.
Flourish or Flounder
I have watched leaders who had been struggling suddenly flourish under new leadership and watched others flounder. I took over a new operating unit a few years ago and most of the team was all in and wanted to help me but there were a couple of leaders who quietly dug in their heels. One went so far as to tell direct reports not to share information with me (this is a definite don’t). Perhaps the plan was to outlast me? It wasn’t successful for anyone. The negativity made it difficult to move needed priorities forward and it held back the entire team.
Self Reflection
This is why I encourage you to take time before your new leader starts to do a heavy self-reflection. What could you have done better over the last 12-18 months? Where are your opportunities? Are you open to change? Do you see that the future could be different? What are you most proud of and what are you really good at? Who are your high performers? Your own personal SWOT. While you might end up sharing pieces of it, this is to put you in the right frame of mind for change.
Your Boss’s Why
One of the first things a new leader will often do is meet with as many people as possible in the first 90 days. Besides meeting people, it also helps tell the story and enables the new leader acclimate to the new assignment. The more you enable your new boss to do this, the better she or he will be at the new role (do). Think about it from her perspective. Leading a new division or entity is a big change whether she had been with the organization or is coming in from the outside. Have empathy and compassion for your new leader.
Her purpose is to make the organization successful. The most effective way to do that is having high performing leaders in place. This is why it is so important to be honest and transparent from the beginning. Is there any area that you are struggling with? Are you concerned about a division or a key metric? I encourage you not to meet your new boss the first day with a list of problems, but to think through the top 3-4 issues that you need support to overcome and be able to articulate the outcome if you are successful.
The Do’s
Here is a quick list of what to do to support the new leadership;
- Welcome the New Leader – When you find out you have a new boss, try to send a welcome e-mail or text. Congratulations on your new role, I am very excited to work with you. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions whether it is about the community, my area or current projects. Here is my cell phone number xxxx. I look forward to meeting with you soon.
- Manage Up – I cannot stress this enough. Manage up your boss at every opportunity. This is not only stressful for you, it is stressful for your entire team. Give your team confidence in the new leadership. If you know a few key attributes of your new leader, share them with the team. Jill is responsible for the new division that our company acquired last year and their overall success. She is known for her ability to build high performing teams and has a passion for development. She will challenge us in a very good way – I am excited to have her start. Always be positive about your new boss. It not only will help your new boss but it is a gift to your team.
- Facilitate – Be a conduit (not a barrier) for what your boss needs. She was brought in for a reason and likely has expertise that will help you grow and flourish, if you are willing.
- Onboarding Presentation – A short, 10-12 slide PowerPoint that provides a quick overview of your area. Your new leader doesn’t need to go back 100 years on her first day, but instead what is the critical need-to-know for the next 90 days.
- Respond Promptly – When your new leader sends you a request, respond and respond promptly. Provide what they need and insure it is good quality and 100% accurate. If you don’t know an answer, respond with I’m not sure but I will check and get right back with you. And insure you do.
- Do Your Homework – Find out your boss’s why. How does she work? What is her communication style? Expectations? You won’t know this overnight, but use your emotional intelligence and start putting together how your boss likes to work. You want to be helpful but not annoying. The quicker you fit into her style and partner, the more successful you both will be.
- Feedback – Be open to feedback. Your boss will likely set a new or altered direction. You have to be willing to hear that and appreciate the new perspective. It’s not (usually) saying what happened prior was bad or wrong but it is saying to get to where we want to go, we have to take an altered path.
Summary
I appreciate that you may have new boss horror stories but those are likely few and far between. Leaders take on new roles because they feel they can make a difference. That most certainly will involve change. For you to be successful and more importantly, for you to enable your team to be successful, you have to be willing to be a part of the new. That doesn’t mean you don’t provide honest input, it means you become a facilitator not a barrier.