Question from Job Seeker:
My boss left and I’ve never felt more lost. I’ve been working for 10 years now and I have never been put in a situation where I had to see my boss leave and welcome his successor; it’s supposed to be the other way round! And given the good relationship we had, I’m afraid I will never find such a good working relationship with my new boss no matter how flexible he might turn out to be. Please, help me deal with it!
Answer from Bayt HR Guru:
The feelings of insecurity you’ve been getting are absolutely normal. Your boss left, yes; but do you need to ruin your career because of that? No. Change, we hate it. We all dread it no matter how hard we try and convince ourselves that we are risk-takers who enjoy jumping into the unknown. But then again, it’s a fact, change is going to happen whether we like it or not. The only thing we can do about it is either accept it and embrace it or let it walk all over us leaving us defeated and uncertain of how to get back up on our feet. We definitely suggest you go with accepting it and embracing it now and forever. Here are the steps to follow:
- Be Open
Do not stress too much on the fact that you are dealing with a new boss. It’s true that seeing your old boss leave makes you feel insecure especially if you had a good relationship with him, but remember that when you first joined the company you had the same feelings about your boss who you ended up getting along with really well! Be open and flexible to this new happening, it might be to your best.
- Put yourself in his shoes
If you think you’re worried, scared and insecure, what do you think your boss is feeling? While you have the advantage of coping with a single new person on-board, your boss will have to deal with a new job, in a new company, and a new boss –yes, he has a manager too - and meet just about everyone else in the company (you should be feeling slightly better now about your position).
- Don’t judge
First impressions are very important indeed, but prejudice can make you start off on the wrong foot and you wouldn’t want this to happen, at least not at work and definitely not with your boss.
- Be professional
It is essential for you to act professionally from the very beginning. Always start like you mean to continue. He is your boss after all and you would both want to build a strong relationship based on trust, respect, and professionalism. Being new in the company, he might need your assistance and support at the beginning regardless of him being your manager. Make yourself available and offer your help whenever needed without bragging about knowing your way in the company.
- Adapt
Give yourself some time to adapt. Change is never easy. Get to know your boss better, introduce yourself over a cup of coffee or lunch, talk about your academic and professional background and ask him about his. Let him know what you do exactly and any projects you will be working on jointly. Break the ice and give yourself a chance to like him. Good luck!
