“I have a new boss—again.” This has become a common (but still unsettling) refrain for many of my clients.
With the pace of change in our workplace, organizations are often reacting to market forces and optimizing their workforce to remain competitive through what seems like constant re-orgs and leadership shuffles.
Reporting to a new boss can be very disruptive in a world that is already filled with change and uncertainty. When we recently surveyed our client base and asked, “What is the one thing that threatens your confidence in your ability to do your job?”, a whopping 37% of the respondents answered “Having a new boss.” (If you haven’t done so already, please Take Survey Now.)
A change in leadership is always a big deal. Your personal career success and your team’s success depend on your ability to skillfully navigate this transition. And that’s true whether you are getting a new boss—or the new boss is you!
In our recent Executive Aid Station newsletter, we offered some steps to take when you have a new boss. Let’s turn the tables here and offer some simple practices to take the pain and risk out of this change when you ARE the new boss.
- Move people to a “toward” state
Our brains don’t like uncertainty. It’s important to share your vision for the team as soon as possible. This helps create a unifying purpose and aspirational message of what you can accomplish together. - Create a foundation for change
You can foster long-term behavior change and development by connecting people to their strengths, understanding their personal goals, and leveraging past successes to build on going forward. - Build trust quickly and intentionally
It’s actually a good thing to show vulnerability. Ask for help to get to know the team and company—and admit that you don’t have all the answers (because no one does).
As a new boss, you have a tremendous opportunity to create an environment of trust and engagement right at the start. Don’t blow it by thinking this is business as usual and falling back on old routines. That just puts people in the “Here we go…same old same old” frame of mind.
One thing is certain: this will not be the last time you experience the “new boss” situation. So embrace the challenge and make it a true learning opportunity for you and your team.