Members may download a single copy of our sample documents to use for your own purposes within your company. Please take note that your legal counsel should review all such forms and policies to ensure that they comply with applicable laws and that they have been modified to reflect your organization’s culture, industry, and practices. Such samples may not be replicated in any other manner, by either members or non-members (e g. , to republish in a book or use for a business purpose) without receiving prior approval from SHRM On the page where the item is located, click the “reuse permissions” button to submit a request for that item.
Be flexible. Recognize that depending on the situation, your team’s needs and expectations will vary. For instance, if you’re moving to a different department within the same company, your former coworkers will probably expect you to be reachable to answer their inquiries after the change. They won’t be as likely to contact you if you’re retiring or moving to a new company, and if they do, you might not have time to respond.
According to Erhard, “people organize their thoughts and files in various ways.” “If you won’t have the chance to work with the person taking your place, typing up a couple of pages outlining where you are in current projects and how to continue them can go a long way toward smoothing the transition. ”.
When there is a team transition, she says, “the best thing a manager can do is reassure the team before they leave because individuals get insecure about their status whenever there is any transition in a team, and that can affect the transition overall.” Getting the team’s values and priorities crystal clear is crucial so they can communicate them to the new management in a clear and concise manner. It’s kind of like a team ‘understanding their why. ’ ”.
Recommend a replacement. Consider someone who may not be the team’s star player but has excellent management potential if you are allowed to choose your replacement. 82 percent of businesses choose poorly when appointing managers, according to Gallup’s The State of the American Manager: Analytics and Advice for Leaders report. This is largely because they promote high-performing individual contributors who excel at their current jobs but lack the interpersonal and problem-solving abilities necessary to be a good manager.
According to the report, “the good news is that sufficient management talent exists in every company.” “It’s often hiding in plain sight. Talent audits and talent assessments are specific tools that provide a systematic and scientific method for identifying employees who have the innate talent to be excellent managers. ”.
Brief the incoming manager. Find time to meet with the new manager who will be overseeing your former team for several hours, or even a full workday, if possible, Erhard advises. Cover items such as pending deadlines, policies and processes. Make sure the person has a list of individuals from other departments who collaborate with your team so they can continue working on projects while you are away. And discuss any difficulties or obstacles you’ve faced in the past, along with how you handled them.
Williams advises drafting a thorough description of the team’s procedures, including any assessments, behavioral tests, or performance evaluations that might be useful. She asserts that all of that information will be helpful to the incoming new manager and will hasten the transition process. It takes some of the hiccups out. ”.
Start with values. Before you meet with your staff, gather as much information as you can, advises Carrie Williams, executive leadership coach and proprietor of RainShadow Coaching. Learn the team members’ roles, strengths and weaknesses. The team’s philosophies and objectives should be understood, as they may differ from the overarching company mission. This is crucial.
Members may download a single copy of our sample documents to use for your own purposes within your company. Please take note that your legal counsel should review all such forms and policies to ensure that they comply with applicable laws and that they have been modified to reflect your organization’s culture, industry, and practices. Such samples may not be replicated in any other manner, by either members or non-members (e g. , to republish in a book or use for a business purpose) without receiving prior approval from SHRM On the page where the item is located, click the “reuse permissions” button to submit a request for that item.
NEW Season 3 ALL BOSSES, MYTHIC WEAPONS, KEYCARD VAULT LOCATIONS! (Boss Darth Vader, Indiana Jones)
Conversations you might have with your new manager
Your manager may want to discuss a variety of issues with you and your team. Some might occur right away, while others might take place after they’ve been on the team for a few months. As part of the transition process, some conversations might even take place repeatedly over the course of a few weeks. The following are some discussions you can anticipate having with your manager in their first few months:
Expectations
Every manager has a different vision for how a division or business should operate. In the first few weeks, after they’ve had a chance to observe, they’ll probably meet with the team and each individual team member to go over their expectations. This discussion can reveal to you how frequently your manager requests reports, what level of productivity they anticipate, or whether they intend to assign you to more responsibility. In order to remember and prioritize their expectations for your role, pay attention and think about taking notes.
Communication styles
Your manager interacts with their team in a particular way according to their communication style. Understanding their communication style will enable you to modify your own communication strategies and have more effective and clear conversations with them. While some managers may favor email, others may favor face-to-face conversations or be very proactive in resolving issues. Be aware that your new manager may communicate in a different way than your previous one, and look for ways to get along with them. For instance, think about submitting requests via email if your manager prefers that method.
Department goals
Department goals are plans for the entire departments focus. Your new manager may meet with the team both collectively and individually soon after they are hired to go over objectives like boosting productivity, developing new procedures, and organizing projects. They might also talk about the difficulties your department is facing and any solutions they have. Take note of their advice and think about how each of your tasks relates to the department’s objectives.
Department needs
The resources and equipment needed by the staff for daily operations are known as department needs. As the staff considers what they need to do their jobs, the new manager and the staff may negotiate during this conversation. You and your team might need to ask for additional resources if your supervisor’s objectives call for them, such as extra printers or new software. Engage your new boss in conversation to ensure that their objectives can be met, and make suggestions for how they might obtain the resources you require.
What to expect from a new boss
Anyone can anticipate a few things from a new manager or supervisor, including:
How to work with a new manager
Here are some practical suggestions for managing the change to a new manager:
1. Take the initiative
Scheduling a meeting with the new manager as soon as they arrive should be your priority. A meeting is a fantastic way to demonstrate your interest in them and their new position as well as your readiness to adjust to the change in leadership. Find out how they are adjusting and if they need anything from you in the future. Be assured, friendly, and approachable so that they will feel the same way about you.
2. Set goals for your role
Find out what your new supervisor expects of you and your role during your first meeting, and then make it your mission to fulfill those requirements as soon as possible. Set attainable deadlines yourself to be more proactive, or work with your manager to establish clear deadlines for expectations. Consider scheduling the days each report must be finished, for instance, if your manager requests four reports each week. Setting specific objectives during the initial meeting can assist you in cooperating with your manager and accommodating their expectations.
3. Pursue their departmental objectives
Along with your own duties, try to support your manager’s objectives for your department. Your manager might reorganize teams, give different projects more priority, or add new rules. If you work in graphic design, for instance, your manager might want to locate a better collection of stock photos. Look for some solutions to help the team achieve its new objective, then present them to your manager. This can demonstrate your willingness to improve things for the team as a whole and your respect for their methodology.
4. Watch them
Your most useful tool for learning about your new boss may be observation. Here are some things to watch for:
You can also learn about someone’s preferences by observing their daily activities since they might not express them out loud. Your ability to communicate with them and adjust to their behavior may be improved with the help of the observations.
5. Help them out
Take the chance to assist your manager if you see them looking for the break room or struggling with a challenging task. By offering to assist your manager with any task, you can demonstrate your willingness to work with them and your character. Make an effort to be cordial and helpful right away so that your manager will know they can rely on your help later.
6. Ask questions
Even after your first meeting with your new manager, you might not always know what they need. Ask questions if you need assistance when they pass by your workstation. This can demonstrate to your manager that you are open about asking for help when necessary. If the manager notices this candor, they might realize they can rely on you to inquire and make sure a task is completed properly.
7. Change as needed
Your ability to be flexible and ready for new experiences will increase as you learn to adjust to your new supervisor’s plans, needs, and expectations without complaining. For instance, your manager might want the department to produce more work, so you might have to change your workflows to get ready for new tasks. Adapting as necessary also enables you to project the image of a cooperative team member.
8. Schedule a second meeting
Consider scheduling a follow-up appointment for a second discussion after your manager has had a chance to settle in and you have learned more about their new role. Request criticism of your current work, and pay close attention to their response. You can determine if they are content with the way your work is going or the department’s activity. This should enable you to assess how well you and your partner are adjusting to your new supervisor.
FAQ
What to do when you are getting a new boss?
- Who should I meet with outside of our team? …
- How do you prefer to communicate? …
- How can I get your opinion and feedback in the most effective way?
- What can I do to help the team and benefit the company?
- What would you do if you were in my shoes? .
- How can I further develop my potential?
How do you announce a new boss?
- Introduce your most professional self. Typically, you get more at ease with a company as time goes on.
- Focus on your expectations. …
- Offer help however you can. …
- Arrange a meeting. …
- Share your insights. …
- Prepare for change. …
- Recognize the opportunity. …
- Find shared interests.
How do you transition an employee to a new manager?
- Choose your method of communication. …
- Identify your audience. …
- Write a clear subject headline. …
- Address your team. …
- Briefly explain the change. …
- Introduce the new leader. …
- Provide relevant information. …
- Close your message.
