You just heard the news, and you’ve got a new boss on the way. Your heart drops, your anxiety jumps, and your brain starts whirring with thoughts. Although you’ve worked with your last executive for five years, it feels like you finally just figured out the secret to working together, and things have been going well. Now, you’ve got a new relationship, work style, and expectations to be figured out. It feels like you are starting at the beginning again, and you are nervous about what this means.
A new boss can be daunting, especially for an admin. You’re probably worried about how the change will affect your work life and what it will mean for your future with the company.
However, it is important to remember that a new boss is also an opportunity for growth and development. You can survive and even thrive in this new situation with the right attitude.
[ctt template=”3″ link=”5h6ai” via=”yes” ]A new boss is an opportunity for growth and development.[/ctt]
Here are three tips for surviving your new boss as an administrative professional:
- Be prepared for change.
It’s unreasonable to think your new boss will be the same as your last one, even if they were promoted from within the company. Change is coming your way, and it may not be all bad! Staying ahead of the game and preparing yourself for these changes is vital.
Take the time to understand their vision for the organization, their style of leadership, and how the move will impact your day-to-day tasks.
If they are an internal promotion, arrange to speak to their existing admin to find out the secrets of working well with them. If they are external, see if you can find their current admin on LinkedIn to connect. Connect with the previous admin (if there is one) to get a sense of how they like to work and their priorities, and find a few of the secrets of making your new partnership a great one!
Send a congratulatory email to them and share you are excited to work with them. If you can, arrange to meet for a coffee or a “meet and greet” before their official start day.
Have a list of questions before the start date to find out how they like to communicate and work together, and questions about their working style. By identifying their preferred working style, you can be prepared to make the changes instead of finding out the hard way they don’t like things done a certain way.
These easy-to-do steps will help you adjust quickly and effectively and better serve your new boss. Being proactive makes you a valuable asset to the team because you can anticipate changes and do what you can to help make them happen. You will build trust with your new boss and foster a better working relationship faster.
- Keep a positive attitude.
When meeting your new boss and transitioning into a new work environment, it’s important to maintain a positive attitude.
When speaking with previous admins or team members, you might hear a few horror stories or the fact that they operate in a way that seems intimidating.
I remember when I was expecting my first son back in 1991. I heard horror stories of labor and delivery and what it was like to have a baby. While some of the stories were true, the good did outweigh the bad for me, and I did have another baby a couple of years later. If you decided whether to have children based on other people’s stories, you likely wouldn’t have children as people only share bad stories. As parents, we focused on the benefits of the babies and not the horror stories. Do the same with your new boss. Listening only to the negative aspects of your new boss will create a sense of dread within you. Instead, focus on the positive aspects of your new boss’ personality and traits, and don’t listen to the horror stories. This person received this role for a reason. They are qualified and able to do it, so assuming the company made a massive mistake in hiring them is doing this person an injustice.
Your positive attitude in working with your new boss will put them at ease too. Imagine how you would feel if you sensed they were dreading working with you!
Showing respect and a good attitude will make the transition smoother and help build a lasting, fruitful relationship with your boss.
[ctt template=”3″ link=”bfeTA” via=”yes” ]Showing respect and a good attitude will make the transition smoother and help build a lasting, fruitful relationship with your boss.[/ctt]
- Be a team player
We all know the secret to surviving and thriving at work is relationships. Showing your new boss that you are a team player and have great relationships and connections at work gives them confidence that you can get things done.
Imagine you were meeting your new admin for the first time, and the admin told you that they didn’t like the people on the team and did things alone instead of with others. I would be worried that my admin wasn’t a team player, would get stonewalled by others on the team, and spend too much time doing things themselves instead of maximizing what others could do within the organization.
We get more done through our relationships. Our Top 10 lists and Group Therapy are great examples of how we maximize the knowledge from the entire community of admins. The ideas are not just mine; they are ideas from the whole group, which expand our options and perspective.
You want your new boss to know that you are well connected, you know where to go to get things done, and you have relationships at work that will help you both be more successful.
Having a new boss can be daunting at first, but with the right approach and attitude, you can not only survive but thrive. Be prepared for change, keep a positive attitude, and be a team player. Combining these three tips will help you navigate your new boss and be a valuable part of the team.
