The Five Things You Should Do When You Get a New Boss

Getting a new boss can be a nerve-wracking experience. Despite the quality of the relationship with your current leader, you have, for the most part, figured out how to work with them. So, when someone new is thrown into the mix, it is likely to bring about anxiety in not knowing much about them and stress in having to reestablish yourself practically from zero. Though, while this may be the case, a leadership change is likely to bring about fresh energy and many new opportunities that can springboard your career.

In order to get you off on the right foot, we wanted to highlight the five things you should do when you get a new boss.

Introduce yourself.

This may seem to be a no-brainer, but introducing yourself is truly one of the best (and one of the first) things you should likely do. Why is this? Well, if your new manager is taking the helm of a large team, they may be unlikely to have the time for personal introductions for the first several weeks. So, take the initiative and embody proactivity by demonstrating your eagerness to get to know and work with them–after all, first impressions count for a lot.

Introduce them to others.

Entering a new role (and even more so, a new organization) can be overwhelming. Your new boss is likely no exception and is likely eager to hit the ground running. One of the best ways of doing so is through business networks. Take the time to introduce your boss to other key employees and partners who would be crucial to ensuring their respective success. Your boss would surely be appreciative of the help.

Share your work.

After establishing a rapport with your new boss, you’ll want to find time on their calendar to share your current initiatives. That is, take time to explain current project objectives, value propositions, statuses, and where their support may be needed. In case of required support, this is also the time in which you could begin to loop your boss in on critical meetings to keep your projects in motion.

Share your fresh ideas.

Beyond sharing the current state of things, this is also the ideal time to share your ideas for moving things forward. Why is this the case? Well, your boss is likely seeking opportunities to show their immediate value, so they may be more likely to be receptive to ideas than someone with greater tenure in the organization who may be content with the status quo. So, if a former idea had been rejected in the past, perhaps having a new audience for the pitch may be just what moves it forward.

Support them.

You likely had a particular way of working with your former boss. However, you should not assume that the former way is also ideal for your new boss. As one of your key objectives should be to make your boss’s life as easy as possible, it is essential to understand what type of support they need from you. This can be done by simply asking the question, “How can I best support you?” Your boss will surely appreciate your willingness to flex to help ensure their respective success.