Bosses come and go, and with increasing frequency.
One of my clients is getting ready for their first meeting (interview?) and another is preparing for a potential departure, so I thought it worth sharing a few thoughts on this topic.
There are three things to think through in this situation…
- What are the consequences of a new boss to the power balance around your work? Bosses, love them or hate them, generally do a lot of work on the political side on behalf of the team, keeping others at bay who would cause you trouble. Understanding the Power Vacuum Political Dilemma is very important.
- Secondly, how will your colleagues react? This is not to say that they will take advantage of the situation and at your cost, but there will inevitably be a little jockeying for position, so you need to be prepared: How to Handle Political Risks Posed by Colleagues.
- And finally, do your research. Find out as much as you can about the new boss, and start to think of this as a major opportunity. Here’s an article I wrote a few years back to help a client in this situation: An Audience with Your New Boss.