Undoubtedly, most of us have gone through some kind of transition with our supervisors. Perhaps the person was recruited away to another company or maybe there was a merger and they got reassigned to another department.
Whatever the reason, something important has been lost. When your boss leaves, they take with them that person’s knowledge of your contributions, skills, knowledge, and expertise.
And a new boss means a completely blank slate.
Your new job is to get to know them, ASAP. If you don’t take the time to build rapport, it could have deadly consequences to your career.
The reason?
If they don’t know your value, they could make decisions that don’t factor you in as a valuable asset.
Try using these four tips to build a connection with a new boss:
1. Speak up in meetings. If you are always in the background, now is the time to jump in. If you aren’t seen as an active participant on the team, this could be a red flag to a boss who might be surveying the landscape for potential house cleaning later. Be a positive contributor.
2. Set up a one-on-one meeting. If the boss has not done so already, set up a time to meet with them to provide an overview of your work and to allow them to get to know you better. Building connections will also help you both assess your working styles to figure out how you will be able to communicate best. This can lay the ground work for a great collaborative work relationship.
3. Provide regular updates. You don’t need to be a classic ‘brown-noser’ but proactively providing updates on project status or other work you are conducting is one less question or request that the boss has to make. If you reliably turn in work or reports on-time and in an organized fashion, you’ll be perceived as professional and as the department standard.
4. Empower, Educate, and Engage. New bosses don’t necessarily want to admit that they are behind the learning curve in getting acclimated to a new company or division. They are struggling to get caught up with priorities, challenges, and opportunities, while trying to get to know the team that will take them there. Be willing to share in a helpful way to give the new boss the knowledge and tools to get them up to speed as soon as possible. You could gain a very powerful career advocate as a result.
If you build a reputation as a helpful, friendly resource who is competent in your work and an engaged member of the team, your new boss will see you as an important asset and include you in key projects and potential promotions.
Dawn Rasmussen is the chief resume designer and president of Pathfinder Writing and Career Services.
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6 Comments
All excellent advice if your new boss is a rational human being; if not, get out.
Thanks for the suggestions. I only wish I had read them a month ago when our team was split in to two and a new boss too. My first boss was more of a stay out of the way and let you do your thing kind of guy. Communication was a weekly meeting. The new one more of a micro-manager type with a unusual communications style. You have to be good at mind reading for direction and connecting harsh remarks made about other employees to understand that this boss may actually mean you. My new boss had a non-calendar 15 minute meeting every day with the staff and if you were late or missed it altogether he would put a mental checkmark in his mind.
This is a great article.
I think many people forget to be proactive when a new boss arrives. They wait too long for the boss to make all the moves. Being proactive in speaking up, doing one-one-one meeting, and providing status before you are asked can help you make a great first impression as an easy to manage team player. I would also add the following two tips:
1. During one-on-one meeting, find out your bosses working style so you know how to best work with them. Everyone has a style and the sooner you know it, the smoother the initial relationship so you don’t walk into unexpected landmines.
2. Proactive in getting feedback. After your boss is here for a few months, schedule a meeting to ask for feedback and career advice – You can then find out how you are doing and make his job easier but being proactive in asking for his advice.
Lei
A new boss doesn’t always have to be scary.
I would also suggest you add credibility – When you make a mistake, take responsibility for it and importantly listen to feedback with an open mind and don’t get defensive. If these don’t work you could always leave an apple on their desk.
Nice article, Dan. These suggestions will surely help anyone connecting with a new boss. Thanks for the suggestions.
Dawn,
This is a great set of suggestions for how to deal with a personnel change at the very highest level. For better or wose, the arrival of a new boss presents a chance for an employee to forge a relationship from scratch with the biggest decision-maker in the office. We recommend that employees always strive to be proactive and helpful, but by doing so at this time especially, they can establish themselves as a valuable member of the office.