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Business Rule 14: The New Boss

July 12, 2007 by Liz 28 Comments

I’d Like You to Meet . . .

Business Rules Logo

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.

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Filed Under: Business Life, Successful Blog Tagged With: bc, Business-Rules, New-Bosses, New-Clients, Rules-They-Dont-Teach-in-Business-School

Comments

  1. Mike says

    July 12, 2007 at 12:34 PM

    Liz,

    How fun that you have these last two posts back-to-back, because the answer to your question is yes, because Commander New wanted me to be to be someone I knew wasn’t me!

    Mike

    Reply
  2. Chris Cree says

    July 12, 2007 at 12:47 PM

    Have you ever gotten a new job in this way, only to find you had to look for a new job?

    Um, I’m pretty much there now…

    Great post Liz!

    Reply
  3. Mike says

    July 12, 2007 at 12:56 PM

    Chris,

    Sorry to hear about that. I can’t wait to hear about the much better position you find!

    Mike

    Reply
  4. Advice Network says

    July 12, 2007 at 2:43 PM

    Liz,

    I’ve been admiring your blog for many months. Now I’ve got my own, and I have tagged you with an 8 Random Facts About Me tag. I hope you reply, as I’d love to know more about you, but if you don’t of course I understand.

    Thanks for all of your heartfelt blogging.

    Alex

    Reply
  5. Chris Cree says

    July 12, 2007 at 2:51 PM

    Mike, Oh we’ve got plans, yes we do! 😉

    Reply
  6. ME Strauss says

    July 12, 2007 at 2:59 PM

    Hi Mike!
    I know. I know. I’ve met the same Commander New that you did! 🙂

    Reply
  7. ME Strauss says

    July 12, 2007 at 3:00 PM

    Hey Chris!
    I was wondering whether you might find yourself in this one. 🙂

    Reply
  8. ME Strauss says

    July 12, 2007 at 3:01 PM

    Oh Advice Network.
    I hope I have time, I hope. Time is of short supply these days . . .

    Reply
  9. Advice Network says

    July 12, 2007 at 3:08 PM

    Liz,

    I understand completely! Please don’t feel pressured. One thing I noticed, writing the post was easy and fun, fulfilling the chain letter like obligations was annoying. If you’re too busy for the latter, I’d still love to hear your take on 8 random facts about you.

    Your friend,
    Alex

    Reply
  10. ME Strauss says

    July 12, 2007 at 3:16 PM

    Hi Alex,
    How gracious of you. Thank you. I’m not one who much likes those kinds of things. Though I do find some value in those that reveal more about the writer to readers. I enjoyed reading about you. 🙂

    Reply
  11. Dan Schawbel says

    July 12, 2007 at 7:51 PM

    It’s all about flexibility and the adjustment period. How you can adapt to your new manager is important and in large companies the chances of being moved around are greater.

    Reply
  12. Chris Cree says

    July 12, 2007 at 8:10 PM

    Dan, that’s the decision we have to make, isn’t it? Do we want to adapt to move up in the same company? Or would we rather move up by moving on to another opportunity?

    Day was when loyalty meant something in the corporate world. I’m not so sure it does anymore, unfortunately.

    Reply
  13. ME Strauss says

    July 12, 2007 at 10:33 PM

    Hi Dan!
    Sometimes adapting is an option. You’re right. Sometimes it’s not. 🙂

    Reply
  14. ME Strauss says

    July 12, 2007 at 10:35 PM

    Hi Chris!
    That’s a great point. What DOES loyalty mean these days in a corporate culture. It doesn’t seem to hold up much against the failing bottom line. 🙂

    Reply
  15. Claire Celsi says

    July 13, 2007 at 9:17 AM

    Liz: Great post about the new commander. I am about to get a new boss, so I paid special attention. Thanks!

    Reply
  16. ME Strauss says

    July 13, 2007 at 9:34 AM

    Hi Claire!
    I’m delighted that the timing worked out so well for you! Yea! for tht!

    Reply
  17. Chris Cree says

    July 13, 2007 at 9:54 AM

    Liz, I think that whole corporate loyalty subject is a topic for a whole post of its own!

    Reply
  18. April Groves says

    July 13, 2007 at 12:22 PM

    When I was in the Navy, I had the opportunity to training the new sailors becoming electronic techs. When it would come time for them to pick their first orders, they would ask whether a duty station was “good” or “bad.” Some of the folks would tell them. Not me. I would tell them that every duty station changes whenever the chain of command changes. You just have to bloom where you are planted.

    Reply
  19. Mike says

    July 13, 2007 at 12:24 PM

    Chris,

    Thanks for that blog post idea. I’m going to take a crack at it this weekend. My grandfather worked for the phone company for 40 years. He’s been drawing a defined-benefit pension for 31 years. That’s the epitome of corporate loyalty, both ways. Today things are a lot different.

    Mike

    Reply
  20. ME Strauss says

    July 13, 2007 at 1:13 PM

    Chris,
    You bet on the loyalty thing. I think you should go fot it!

    Reply
  21. ME Strauss says

    July 13, 2007 at 1:15 PM

    Hi April!
    I love the metaphor — bloom where you are planted. 🙂

    Reply
  22. Pug At The Beach says

    July 14, 2007 at 6:30 AM

    In another lifetime I had a low paying, low level, dead end job. When the new guy came on board, he took to taking me aside and verbally trashing everyone in the company. He either didn’t get that management wasn’t supposed to behave that way or he didn’t care. I did, however. I left that job. The best part of that job was that I learned what not to do – by example. I’ve never behaved that way to my employees but it was a good reminder of Pug At The Beach’s humanitarian commitment to offer strength, encouragement and triumph to everyone! http://www.pugatthebeach.com Because sometimes all you need in life is the wisdom of a good dog.TM

    Reply
  23. ME Strauss says

    July 14, 2007 at 7:39 AM

    Hi Pug,
    Welcome. You know, that new guy boss probably didn’t think (we know he didn’t think) that he was trashing folks. He might have thought he was teaching you. The sad thing is that we don’t teach very well by pointing out things that folks do wrong. I know I’ve made that mistake myself.

    The problem is that when we talk negatively the chemistry that goes of in us is a bit addictive. So with each word it gets harder to stop. That’s why it’s good to listen to how we physically feel when we’re mad or talking mean things.

    That’s some courage you have to leave a job over that. I admire you. I wonder if I could have done that. I’m so quick to forgive, I bet not. I think you made the better choice than I would.

    Thanks pug.

    Reply
  24. Pug At The Beach says

    July 15, 2007 at 1:46 PM

    It’s funny, but I never saw leaving that job as courageous! I just knew that I didn’t belong there. This guy was the catalyst. I’ve done remarkably well since I left, too!

    It’s like what Mike Wallace said about his decision to leave his job to join the 60 Minutes team:

    “I was 45 years old and starting over. But every time I’ve taken a chance on myself, given up a job, turned something down for the right reason, it’s always worked out.”

    I agree. You just have to have faith and that can be hard sometimes but if you ask yourself the following question, it changes the level of difficulty:

    What do I really want?
    A future where I’m always struggling to make ends meet or a lifestyle of prosperity, joy and fulfillment?

    And if that doesn’t work, ask yourself:

    What would Pug do? 🙂

    Reply
  25. ME Strauss says

    July 15, 2007 at 1:50 PM

    You know, Pug,
    I think most courage is just doing the right thing. And that most of it only looks that way from afar.

    Boy I agree if you’re not yourself in a job, it’s bound to work out badly in the end and if you stay with who you are, you’ll end up where you belong.

    Reply
  26. Pug At The Beach says

    July 15, 2007 at 2:18 PM

    Ain’t that the truth!

    Now, how can we help other people fin their rightful paths?

    Maybe it’s just encouraging them to continually explore their “selves”, to first pay attention to and then listen to the inner voice.

    I know that I wouldn’t be where I am in my journey had it not been for my mentors.

    And maybe it’s just leading by example.

    Reply
  27. ME Strauss says

    July 15, 2007 at 7:16 PM

    Hi Pug!
    Sorry it took so long to get back. It’s my son’s last day in town. . . .

    I’ve got some ideas and a new series starting tomorrow about how to begin looking our business with a care for ourselves and building a foundation on concrete not sand.

    Leadership by example is always a good one. Pug, you seem especially good at that. 🙂

    Reply

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