I’d Like You to Meet . . .
Whether you work at home or in an office, some changes that come from the top — new client, new boss, new owner — might not seem like changes at first, but they are.
Enter Commander New . . .
When a new “boss†enters your job life, change happens in one fell swoop. No matter how nice, how good, how competent the new entity might be, he, she, or it, isn’t the one from the past. This is important to know.
Doing what worked with the last “commander†could be exactly right again or it could be the most wrong thing you might do. For the sake of making the conversation easier, lets call the new arrival Commander New, a guy (to avoid having to use him, her, or it continuously.)
Everyone will meet Commander New several times in his or her business career. You might play the role a few times yourself. Whenever Commander New comes on the scene, change is the deal. That’s the way it is. An experienced Commander will manage change to a positive end, but every Commander knows that he is a de facto change just by being there. Some will try to share their priorities fast. Some will try to get to know yours first.
What Happens First
When Commander New arrives, you can expect these events.
- The Commander will share a vision and try to find out who you are.
- Fast adopters, optimists, and people who didn’t like the last commander will get on board with the new commander.
- Slow adopters, cynics, and people still loyal to the last commander will stand back and watch.
Some folks don’t realize that any commander who’s been around knows that people are doing this.
What Happens Next
Commander New has been asked to assess the new team he has. That means everyone is on a kind of preliminary probation again. New clients of home businesses do this too.
- The Commander evaluating your skill set; determing what responsibilities he can delegate your way; deciding whether you can do the job and do it well; and assessing how comfortably you fit the team and the new vision.
- People who respond well to change listen and ask questions to make sure they’re looking in the same direction that the commander is.
- People who don’t understand that’s what’s happening try to do what served them well in the past, whether it fits the new vision or not.
- People who respond poorly to change try to teach the commander how the company is supposed to work rather than learn what he has in mind. Not a good move for their personal brand. I know I’ve made that mistake myself.
There is no cure for youth, but experience.
The Environment Adjusts
Eventually Commander New isn’t new anymore. People know him and what he expects. He knows them and what they’re good at. If you’re still working with The Commander and thriving, you might have a new role with more exciting responsibilities. That would be because you understand.
When the change is a new boss, new client, new owner,
you have just started a new job.
The desk that you sit at and your coworkers might look the same, but the job description is not.
Have you ever gotten a new job in this way, only to find you had to look for a new job? Yeah. Me, too.
–ME “Liz” Strauss
Check out the Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar.
