Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Tips for Employees with New Managers



This post builds on last week's article setting up new managers for success.  Many look to their new manager to set the tone for a working relationship. It's also very important for new employees to be open, build credibility and want the new reporting line to work. Here are some tips if you have a new manager.

For an Employee with a New Manager:
There is comfort in having worked for a manager for a period of time – they know the way you think, they have trust in your abilities, they know the best way to coach you. How do you start all over again?  It’s a scary time but also a great time to grow your skills and be challenged by a new perspective.

Tips:
-          Come in open minded. Your new manager is going to likely operate differently, seek to understand their perspective. Don’t make snap judgments.
-          Ask Questions – this is tied to not making quick decisions or judgments. Ask questions to seek understanding about changes your new manager is making if they aren’t giving you the rationale/background.
-          Deliver results - delivering results with a great attitude is the best way to will build your personal credibility with a new manager.
-          Speak with your current manager about the transition they are completing with your new manager. If you had an open relationship with your previous manager, you can help shape this discussion by highlighting key things that really work in your current relationship
o   If your current manager is unable to have a transition with your new manager, take matters into your own hands. Put together a “get to know me” email with your job description, org chart of your team (if applicable), previous performance review, and current targets/goals. Book time with your new manager to get to know each other and walk through your current work load and goals.

Open conversation & transparency will work well on both sides to create a strong relationship. Good luck!

Have you recently had a new manager? What do you think they did well to support you? What do you think you did well to set your new manager up and make them look good? Reading the above tips, what would you have done differently?

4 comments:

  1. Great advice. I went through this about 6 months ago and it's difficult to stop comparing my new manager with my previous one, who was fantastic. It's also tough to hear "At my old company, we did it this way..." without feeling defensive.

    ReplyDelete
  2. So true about comparing managers. I also wrote a post to set up new managers for success and I hope more read them! Managers need to set the tone for leadership & create trust. Listening & asking questions will help do this. How is it going 6 months in?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Very Nice article...thanks for informative information....both of the attraction will make it easy...Employee Onboarding

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you so much for this awesome blog post. What an incredible goldmine of ideas, tips and best practices on the great subject.
    website design

    ReplyDelete