How to Adjust to a New Boss was originally published on Firsthand.
During your career, you’ll undoubtedly deal with a lot of changes. From changing jobs or getting a promotion, to a change of location or new management, it’s important to learn how to roll with the punches. When your boss leaves and someone new comes in to replace them, you might be left with feelings of uncertainty; however, it could actually be a good opportunity for you to score some serious points at work. Here are some tips to help you adjust to a new boss in the workplace.
Make a Good First Impression
This one should be pretty easy. If you’ve been good with showing up to work on time, try taking it a step further and show up 15 minutes early. A good tactic for saving time in the morning is to have breakfast at work. In most cases, there should be a small kitchen where you can store certain food items, or you could always pack your breakfast along with your lunch.
It’s also important to present yourself as a motivated and positive individual. If your new boss is talking to you, be attentive and ask questions if you’re unfamiliar with their management style. As with the remaining entries on this list, you’re walking a fine line here—you want to demonstrate dedication and optimism, but don’t overdo it.
Be Empathetic
It can take some time to adjust to a new boss, especially if their management style or ways of communicating vary greatly from your previous boss. It’s important to remember that while you’re experiencing these growing pains, so is your new boss. They’re in a new place, with all new people, and have to adjust to their environment and show some results very quickly.
It’s quite possible that your new boss will have questions, so do your best to help them adjust. Not only will they appreciate it, but they’ll start to see you as the point person on your team, which can lead to great things such as a raise or perhaps a promotion. The bottom line is, everyone is in a new situation and it’s best to work together to iron out all the wrinkles.
Be a Problem Solver
Since your boss is new, they might be unaware of certain pre-existing problems within your team. Perhaps there’s a project that hit a standstill, or someone else left the company suddenly, leaving your team short-handed. In most cases, your new boss will have been informed of any major issues during the hiring process, but your day-to-day experience gives you the advantage of knowing the problems at the ground level.
If you’ve been quietly devising solutions to any problems within your team, you should share them with your new boss. Use your intuition and look for an opening—you don’t want to bombard your new boss with problems, especially when they’re dealing with multiple challenges all at once. Again, there’s a fine line with things like this. You want to come off as genuinely helpful, not as someone who has ulterior motives.
Give it Time
You might have had a great relationship with your previous boss, and maybe you were shocked to learn they were leaving. If this is the case, it can certainly have a negative impact on morale, but do your best to be patient. Come into work with a positive attitude, keep an open mind, and give yourself plenty of time to adjust. Eventually, you might even grow to prefer your new boss’ management style.
On the other hand, if you had issues with your previous boss and found that you were always at odds with them, this is a great opportunity to turn it all around. This scenario is one of those rare instances where life gives us a “reset button,” so take advantage of it and put your best foot forward. This might just be the change that you needed to reinvigorate your drive and motivation to succeed.
Schedule a Meeting
Your new boss might suggest scheduling one-on-one meetings with each member of your team. Alternatively, they might hold a team meeting in which they introduce themselves, provide a little background on their experience, and open the floor for questions towards the end of the meeting. This is a great opportunity to get to know your new boss and gain some insight into their management style.
In the event your new boss does not suggest scheduling such meetings, give it a week or two and take the time to come up with any questions you might have. When you notice things starting to calm down a bit, ask your boss if they have some time to meet up. In almost every case, a new boss will be happy to give you the time to formally introduce yourself. Along with this, those questions you came up with will demonstrate a genuine interest in learning and growing with your new boss.
One of the most important lessons you can learn is how to deal with changes in a constructive way. When it comes to a change in management, there are many things you can do to seize the opportunity and turn it into something positive. Patience is key, and always remember to be optimistic in the face of changes because you never know where they will lead.
