In a rapidly-changing working environment, Lisa Earle McLeod* has some tips on how to approach your relationship with a new boss.
The talent landscape is in a major flux; niche industries are growing rapidly, people are changing jobs, and many organisations are re-accessing their aims and priorities.
Getting a new boss, even if you’re not in a new role, can be a nerve-racking experience.
You want to make a good impression and you know the first few weeks count for a lot, but in this ever-changing, very weird landscape, what does a good impression look like?
Below are four tips to help you start strong with a new boss (no matter the chaos around you).
Recognise they want to make a good impression too
The employer-employee relationship is progressively becoming more of a two-way street.
Your new boss wants you to like them and be excited about working with them.
They want you to think that they’re a good leader and they’re fair and they’re invested in your development.
Put their mind at ease by expressing your enthusiasm about working together.
It will make them less nervous and they’ll probably reciprocate your excitement, which will make you less nervous.
Set your relationship up for success by clarifying expectations
Even if you’re still in the same role, ask your new boss what success looks like for them (in their role) in the first 30, 60 and 90 days.
In a rapidly changing virtual world, the get-to-know-each-other stage can be brief at best.
People come into new roles with all kinds of expectations, ambitions and even assumptions.
A high-level conversation about what they expect from you and quite frankly, vice-versa, starts everyone off with clarity.
Ask questions early and often
Better to find out their version of correct now when you both still have the reputational grace of this relationship being new, rather than six months from now.
Asking confirmation questions of a new boss like: “Would you like me to update you on this weekly?” will help quiet some of your ‘I hope I’m doing this right’ feelings.
Be a resource
As hierarchies become more wide than they are tall, you can be a valuable resource to your boss, even if you’re new to the organisation.
Offering to help, especially early on, sets the stage for a trusting, supportive partnership.
The first few weeks of a relationship typically establish the direction, dynamics and habits going forward.
The relationship with your new boss has the same foundational pillars of any successful relationship: Clear expectations, regular communication and mutual support.
*Lisa Earle McLeod is the leadership expert best known for creating the popular business concept Noble Purpose. She is the author of Selling with Noble Purpose and Leading with Noble Purpose. She can be contacted at mcleodandmore.com.
This article first appeared at mcleodandmore.com.
