So You Have a New Boss

You’re comfortable in your job and you have a great and mutually supportive relationship with your boss and then.....the proverbial rug is pulled out from under you.  Your boss is leaving and someone else is moving in.

You must start all over to build the foundation for a good working relationship with your new boss.  Since you can’t control your boss’ behavior, you must take responsibility if you want to make this new situation work.

How do you build a good foundation?  The cornerstones of a good boss/subordinate relationship are:

Trust:  the higher up you go in an organization the more critical a factor trust becomes for a good boss/subordinate relationship to exist.  Your new boss can find other people who can do your work, but not all of these people will be people she can trust.  From the very beginning, you must demonstrate that she can place her trust in you.

Loyalty:  you don’t have to be a “yes” person to demonstrate loyalty.  In fact, part of demonstrating loyalty is to assure that your new boss has all the facts available and your recommendation before making a decision.  However, once the decision is made, your boss expects your support even if he did not follow your recommendation.

Supportive Communication:  providing valuable information to your new boss, such as company culture, grapevine news that may affect her, predicted changes that are ahead, is a way of demonstrating your support.  Another way is to ask your new manager about her expectations of you and your work, up front, so there is no opportunity for miscommunications.  By keeping her informed about what’s going on and what you are doing, you let her know that you support her.

Dependency:  as Gabarro and Kotter stated (Harvard Business Review, Jan-Feb, 1980) boss/subordinate relationships involve: “mutual dependence between two fallible human beings.  A manager who fails to recognize this typically either avoids trying to manage his relationship with a boss or manages it ineffectively.”  For both of you to succeed, you need each other.  And your best way to a promotion is to help your boss be successful.  Make sure he knows he can depend on you.

Building on Cornerstones

With these cornerstones in mind, here are some actions you can take to make sure that your relationship with your new boss gets off to a good start—in addition to doing good work, of course.

Prepare an orientation guide.

Compiling information that your new boss needs will surely be appreciated.  Information could include who to call from planning, customer service, and finance as well as who to go to for the latest sales figures and what reports she needs to request.  Does she know the corporate culture enough to know that video conferences are preferred to conference calls? What about all the acronyms that people in your company take for granted?  Providing information on whatever is unique about your department or company will be very useful to her in her first few weeks on the job.

Prepare an overview of your function.

In the overview of your function, start by including your overall goal for the year, what you’ve accomplished so far relative to that goal and what you expect to accomplish for the rest of the year.  Including an updated job description can be helpful if your job has some unique qualities to it.  When detailing what you expect to accomplish for the rest of the year, don’t over commit thinking you will impress him.  He is too new to know what is a realistic goal and what is an aggressive goal.  List what you know you can deliver and, if you feel you must add “stretch goals”, identify them as such.  By providing this executive summary you will go a long way toward assuring clear communications in the future.  You are developing that important foundation of trust by sharing information rather than hoarding information.

Keep your new boss informed.

While she may not have time in the beginning to meet with you as frequently as you might like, that is no excuse for not keeping her informed about what you are doing or what you may have heard relative to the department.  Your motto should be “no surprises.”  When there is something you think she should know about, send her a note, e-mail her or leave her a voicemail.  She can decide whether it is important enough for to meet with you.  But, she definitely will appreciate the information and being kept in the loop.

Openly show support.

Your new boss was placed in the position for a reason.  Those reasons usually involve some sort of change that needs to be made.  Getting the organization behind change can be a challenge for any new boss.  Take the opportunity, then, to defend his actions when someone else questions them—as long as you feel you can defend them, of course.  Word will get back to your boss and he’ll recognize the support you are giving him.  And if you can’t support the changes or his style, you owe it to your boss not to denounce his actions publicly, but to tell him privately of your concerns.

As you demonstrate that you will be a trusted, loyal, supportive and dependable member of the team, it is also important for you to understand your boss’ goals and pressures.  Knowing your own boss’ goals and pressures will enable you to proactively meet your boss’ expectations.  For instance, why exactly was your boss chosen for this position?  Was it because she is good at turnarounds?  growing businesses?  the technical aspects of the job? strategic thinking?  relationship building?  politics?  The answer to the question should give you insight as to what to expect for the future and what the emphasis will be.

Understanding the big picture will enable you to be prepared and to prepare your subordinates for the changes that will surely come.  Having built a strong foundation for the relationship, any changes have a better chance of involving you in the process rather than excluding you.

Because of the need for trust and loyalty in corporate relationships, a new boss can be a major reason for job loss or change for those he will supervise. The new boss will likely seek to bring in at least some people whom he already knows are trustworthy and loyal.  These are people he is confident in and with whom he's familiar.  These are people who won’t second-guess him as he implements necessary changes.  If you can get off to a good start with your new boss, you will be one of those people. 

If you need help in managing a new boss (or a current boss), contact me at caaloisi@yahoo.com or leave a comment.

Copyright 1994, 2004 Career Management Consultants, Inc. All Rights reserved.  No reproduction of this content is allowable in any format without expressed written permission.

Surviving a Reorganization

Rumors are flying, the grapevine is buzzing.  The reports all say that there are going to be big changes in your company.  There may even be a lay-off soon. Everything seems up in the air.

As we look to the future, there is every indication that companies will continue to initiate structural changes as they strive to cut cost and meet the demands of an increasingly competitive marketplace with ever-changing customer needs.  How prepared are you for the changes ahead?

The most common changes we face in a restructuring are:

·        a new boss,

·        increased responsibilities (workload),

·        more shared resources,

·        fewer overall employees but larger spans of control for the managers supervising these employees. 

As you look ahead to what the future is going to hold in a company that is undergoing restructuring, there is no way to know what changes will be good changes or which of the changes will be bad changes for you.  What is clear is that work life will be different and that those of us who are able to adapt to change will be better positioned to succeed in the new environment than those of us who find change difficult.

Preparing for change ahead of time is one way to improve your chances of surviving—and even thriving—in the new environment.  That means anticipating what may happen before it does happen so you can be more effective when new programs are implemented.  Below are some ideas on how to prepare for the changes ahead when your company is going through a restructuring:

Be Proactive

If you know a restructuring is being considered or already in the works, think about preparing your own restructuring plan.  How would you restructure your own function relative to other departments?  If you think your function could be consolidated, prepare a plan that lays out how you would fit into that consolidation.  Then consider the consequences of submitting it to your boss.  If you are fairly certain the changes will be taking place, you may have nothing to lose and everything to gain if you can present your ideas before the plan is solidified.

Book time with your boss.  Ask him if there are changes being considered.  He may hedge. But presenting him with your plan may end up giving your boss a new perspective to consider that (s)he had not thought of before. Be sure the plan is realistic and addresses the issues that the management team is grappling with at the time. In any event, it should open up a dialogue between the two of you that could give you a clue as to the direction your boss is heading.  You can often feel out of the loop when a restructuring is being discussed.  By submitting your own plan, you can put yourself back in the loop and more in control.

Take On More Responsibility

      

·          Look for opportunities where there are gaps or cracks that things can slip through and plug them up.  Make sure your supervisor is kept informed about your efforts.

·          Ask for additional assignments.  Taking on more work, if possible, can position you as a team player and a valuable one at that

.

·          Make sure that management knows your skill set.  Don’t assume that the Marketing Director you work for now knows that five years ago you worked in Cost Accounting.  You can drop comments in casual situations or update your company profile and send him a copy for his info/files.

With fewer management jobs at the top, decisions will have to be pushed downward.  So, it stands to reason that employees who are able to take charge and demonstrate good judgment, as well as a willingness to go beyond the confines of their job descriptions, will be more valued in a leaner environment than those who don’t.

Beef up Your Credentials

If you don’t have an advanced degree in your field, making the investment in getting one can pay off in making you more attractive to your current employer as well as making you more attractive to a new employer should you decide to change jobs.  While getting an M.B.A. or Ph.D. may be too much of a long-term proposition to consider in the wake of an imminent restructuring, any addition to your area of expertise will be helpful because more and more companies are looking for people who can wear more than one hat.  Get certified in a new training program, take a marketing or financial course, attend a customer service seminar. 

Demonstrate That You Are A Team Player

As companies seek to improve response time to customers, many are removing traditional functional organizational approaches and restructuring into more cross-functional team-based organizations.  You can demonstrate you are a team player in several ways:

·          If there are already teams in place, volunteer to help on one

·          If there aren’t teams, determine what project you are handling which might benefit from a team approach and pitch the concept to your boss.  You may just end up leading it.

·          If you are already on a team, be sure you are effectively participating.  Send regular updates on the status of the team’s progress to your boss so he or she is constantly reminded of your participation.

Support Your Own Staff

Motivating your team during lean times is difficult.  It often means smaller raises, less promotional opportunities, and fewer perks.  But it is at just such lean times that every member of your staff is critical.  You can keep your own staff motivated by:

·          Developing them through rotating assignments so that they can continue to learn new skills, broaden their knowledge and increase their contributions.

·          Give them more control over their workday.  Providing flexible schedules and opportunities to work from home can be worth more to an individual than pay raises and can increase loyalty. 

·          Give them more authority to determine their own priorities and make substantive decisions.  By pushing decision making downward, you can relieve yourself of some of the workload while providing developmental opportunities for your staff.  Giving your product manager control over her sales promotion budget can be a developmental move for her and relieve you of having to sign and approve every little thing.  

Additionally, now is the time to communicate, communicate, communicate.  Be sure to clearly communicate the purpose of the changes they are experiencing.  Discuss with them the rationale and the benefit these changes are expected to bring to the company, such as increasing the company’s competitiveness.

Network!

Having a good relationship with your immediate boss is the biggest factor in anyone’s career success.  But during lean times, you will need the support of more people than just your boss.  Board Members from across the company are often involved in the reorganization and restructuring decisions. It is unlikely your Vice-President will be unilaterally making promotion and layoff decisions.  Human Resources and other department Vice-Presidents will have a say in who stays, who goes, and who gets that newly created position.  Make sure that other department heads know you and your work and are aware of what you have done for them in the past.  When a restructuring is imminent, it is time to be seen and be visible.  Have lunch with colleagues in other areas; go out of your way to meet another department’s request.  This should be your modus operandi anyway, but it is even more critical to be on top of things when a restructuring is in the works.

In addition to having broad support in the organization, networking helps you to keep in the loop about what is going on.  Informal networks can help you stay apprised about what key decision makers are thinking with regards to the restructuring.  Just remember that “rumors” are just that, rumors.  While the overall themes may be accurate (e.g. there will be a layoff), specifics are often inaccurate (e.g. they are going to eliminate the product management job).  The best source for information will be your boss.  Should you hear rumors, be sure to discuss them with your boss.  You may be providing her with information that she didn’t know about.  And while she probably can’t officially comment, letting her know what you know will help both of you look out for the department’s interests.

Additionally, a good network helps to keep you visible.  Should your position be eliminated or significantly changed in the restructuring, your internal network can help you to find new opportunities within the company.  You can even use your network to pursue informational interviews.  For instance, if you have a strong indication that your department is being eliminated sometime down the road, you can ask to meet with a department head whom you know or whom someone has referred you to discuss the potential for opportunities in their department.

Whatever happens, be sure to stay informed, keep up-to-date and stay visible—and don’t forget to communicate!

Companies know the necessity of investing in their talent pool in times of change for the purposes of retention and enrichment.  Ironically, now may be the best time to get an Executive Coach.  You can contact me at caaloisi@yahoo.com.

Copyright©1994, 2004, by Career Management Consultants, Inc.  All rights reserved.  No reproduction of this content is allowable without expressed written permission